You’d have to go back nearly 20 years to locate the last Rangers team to defeat Celtic in the Scottish Cup, but what a story.
When Rangers won the Scottish Cup in 2002, Arthur Numan had not just a thrilling night, but also a dramatic morning.
In an all-time epic finale between Glasgow’s biggest rivals at Hampden Park, Peter Lovenkrands scored the winning goal in a thrilling 3-2 triumph for Gers.
The result was all the more impressive given that just hours before, Rangers full-back Numan stepped outdoors in the frigid cold with his teammates, wearing nothing but his tighty whities.
That was because, in the early hours of the morning, a fire alarm went off in the team hotel, prompting speculation that a cunning Celtic fan attempted to disrupt their opponents.
However, it had the opposite effect, as the cold start to the day further fueled the Rangers stars.
âYeah we were in the Crown Plaza,â said a 54-year-old Numan. âIt was the middle of the night when the alarm went off. You thought, âwhatâs happening?â
âI think it turned out to be the best preparation for us because it kept us sharp! We were all standing out side the hotel in our underwear freezing.
âI donât know what caused it. Maybe someone interfered with the smoke detector. But it was so strange.
“One minute youâre getting yourself ready for a cup final, then all of a sudden the alarm goes off at 4am and youâre standing outside
âBut we still won, because it kept us sharp! That cup final was so special. It went 1-1, then 2-2 and then that amazing goal by Peter.â
It was a remarkable final, with outstanding players including Chris Sutton, Stiliyan Petrov, and Henrik Larsson for Celtic and Barry Ferguson, Ronald de Boer, and Tore Andre Flo for Rangers.
John Hartson began the goal, but Lovenkrands equalised two minutes later, while Bobo Balde scored after halftime.
Ferguson tied it 2-2 before Lovenkrands delivered the death blow in the final minute, delivering a stunning diving header that sent the blue half of Glasgow wild.
For more related news click Here