There’s no question Rangers fans, if not enviously, have looked on with a spot of frustration as Celtic flexed muscle in the transfer market.

Window after window expensive players would arrive at Parkhead, and while Rangers were hardly signing dregs, the financial power of both clubs was on completely different levels.

The main reason?

Champions League.

Celtic have been in the group stage of the UCL 4 times in the past 10 years, 4 times more than Rangers. The monies, as we know, are filthy, and the first two seasons that Rangers weren’t in the top flight Celtic had two free hits at the UCL where they took all Scotland’s cash for it. In those days that was a combined total of around £60M+

Then they sold Van Dijk for £12M and suddenly had finance into the £80M region.

This was a staggering head start and it led to Dembele Dollars 4 years ago where they could afford NOT to sell Dembele and forced Lyon into shelling out £20M. Add all the massive sales since then and you can see the disparity.

But the CL in 2012 is where it started, it’s where they got the foothold of finance, and if you add the extra £40M-£70M total for the other two times they made it their numbers completely eclipse Rangers.

This is why Rangers winning the UEL is so vital. While Celtic still have a gigantic head start and 99.99% have won the league this season, Rangers having the same funds this summer to go head to head with them properly is absolutely critical.

Hell, look what we’ve done with a fraction of their budget – imagine the impact having those CL dollars will make.

It’s why we need the CL back at Ibrox.