SASA PAPAC could sympathise with the Rangers squad at the start of the season as his memories of Manchester helped to explain the sluggishness after Seville.

But the former Ibrox star knows it is about standards rather than soundbites now as Michael Beale's side attempt to end the campaign on a high note and ensure a silver lining emerges from the dark clouds of Giovanni van Bronckhorst's departure.

Papac was an integral part of the team that Walter Smith guided to within 90 minutes of European glory in 2008 as the challenge of Zenit St Petersburg proved to be one big ask too far for a group that were on their knees at home and abroad.

The Herald: Sasa Papac celebrates against Fiorentina

The Scottish Cup was lifted days after the defeat as Rangers made it a Hampden double following their win over Dundee United 15 years ago this month. The hangover lingered, though.

Just weeks after seeing off Queen of the South, Smith's side were humbled in the Champions League. The capitulation in Kaunas was a wretched night for Rangers and an Old Firm loss in the League Cup final left supporters fearing the worst for the closing stages of the season.

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In the end, they need not have feared. The title was won at Tannadice on the last day and Nacho Novo hit the winner to beat Falkirk and secure the double the following week.

That ambition will prove beyond Beale's side this term. With the league all-but gone, it is only the Scottish Cup that is left to play for and the significance of the semi-final with Celtic next month simply cannot be understated.

Papac will tune in to events in Glasgow as a supporter rather than just a spectator. And the Bosnian is as aware as anyone what is on the line for a squad that have just one Premiership title and one Scottish Cup to show for their efforts together.

"Yes, of course," Papac said when asked if he still watches his former club. "Every game I watch in my flat. My kids are also Rangers supporters so all the time we watch the games on the television.

"It was a slow start this season. We can say that this is normal when I compare it with my time.

"We also started slowly after reaching the UEFA Cup final. Next season we went out of the Champions League.

"Maybe the players were tired – not physically but mentally. Since there’s been a change of manager, Rangers have played well.

"They’ve missed out on trophies in the past couple of years. We need trophies. This is important for the club. We hope that changes."

Papac arrived in Glasgow in 2006 with an Austrian Bundesliga title and two cup wins to his credit from his time in Vienna. It wasn't until Smith replaced the hapless Paul Le Guen that the left-back really got the grips with life at Ibrox.

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He would go on to become something of a cult hero to supporters. Three successive SPL titles were lifted as Rangers collected five medals at Hampden during a memorable spell that saw Smith further enshrine his place amongst the true greats of our game.

It was a time, like now, where Rangers were expected to win. Yet saying it and doing it are so often very different things.

"From the first time Walter came in, I understood that was the big pressure on this club," Papac said. "For this club it’s only good when you win the game and win the trophies.

"Second place is nothing here. I think this is good for every player to push you forward.

"You must give everything every day for the club. Every training session, every game is important for every player.

"With what has happened to the club in the last 10 years, we missed so many trophies but I hope in the future we can take some more.

"I think from the beginning, when I came into Rangers, I wasn’t ready for this level of football.

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"But I started to learn very quickly – how the mentality is and what the character you need here. You need to learn everything quickly.

"After three or four months I got that and was looking better in every game. I think that’s why I stayed here. But it depends on other players. I learned very quickly."

Rangers will return to Hampden next month fully aware of what the ramifications of defeat will be, both for themselves and in terms of the Old Firm rivalry. Lose to Celtic and the Treble will be gift-wrapped for Ange Postecoglou.

The Herald: Nikica Jelavic slots the ball past Celtic keeper Fraser Forster for Rangers' winning goal during their 2-1 victory in the Co-Operative Insurance League Cup Final at Hampden in 2011

Once again, Papac's mind goes back in time as he references the 2010/11 campaign and the League Cup winner from Nikica Jelavic. Rangers went into the final having lost three of the four derbies following a win at Parkhead in October. They came out of it with the silverware.

"You could compare it to the season when we took the Cup against Celtic when Nikica scored in extra-time," Papac said. "Before this game, in the past three games with Celtic, they were much better.

"We lost the games and lost our confidence. But we knew that in this game - a cup final – we could change everything.

"When we won this game it changed our season completely. In one game, you aren’t just playing for a trophy. You are playing to give the message to everybody – we are there, we can handle Celtic.

"This is the same situation heading into the next Old Firm game. We must win this game. It’s important to show that you can take one more step.

"You have to be strong on the pitch. This is a special game. You must show you are ready for the battle. When you do that, you can get the result."

Papac made a welcome return to Ibrox last weekend as he pulled on his boots once again for the Legends match against a collection of English and European greats.

The 43-year-old still conducts himself with the same class on and off the park that he did during his playing career as he filled that left-back berth with such distinction. It is a jersey he believes Borna Barisic still merits as the 'first option' ahead of summer recruit Ridvan Yilmaz.

Papac continues to hold his own place in the affections of the Ibrox crowd. The feeling is reciprocal and that is why he hit the road to ensure he was able to get through the minutes.

"It was great to be back at Ibrox," Papac said. "To be part of this game was fantastic.

"Five Star organisation called me a couple of times and the last three or four games I’ve played. I really enjoy them.

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"I still get a buzz from them. When I got the call I started training to get fit because I have so much respect for this place and for he fans.

"So I wanted to be fit. The last three or four months I’ve done some hard training but it’s not easy at this age – I’m 43 now. But it’s okay.

"When you stop playing football it’s not easy to stay fit. Okay, I don’t have too many kilos but for running it’s not easy.

"Last week was the first time I tried a half marathon – 21km. I did that but it was very hard. I’d never ran that distance because in training you maybe run 10km or12km maximum. It was the first time I’d ran a long distance."