It was the night that Michael Beale knew Rangers had won the Premiership. Now he faces an afternoon where the title could be lost.
In the minds of many, that is already the case. Beale and his players cannot concede the league to Celtic but the matches are now running out and Rangers' best efforts are proving in vain.
A lengthy unbeaten run - including two wins in the cup competitions - have seen Rangers rebuild and regroup under Beale's guidance and the form that they have shown is that of a potential silverware-chasing side. Events at Hampden will be the sternest test of that, though.
Rangers have held up their end of the bargain in Premiership terms. Across the city, Celtic continue do what needs done and the nine-point deficit that was in place when Beale was appointed in December still separates the Old Firm at the top of the table.
The challengers are now one bad result away from their faint hopes fading completely, from the seemingly obvious becoming the openly unavoidable. If Beale has his way, that situation will not arise as he returns to the Tony Macaroni Arena for the first time in almost two years.
On that occasion, Steven Gerrard saw red for a blast at referee John Beaton and Alfredo Morelos scored with just three minutes remaining. As supporters set off fireworks outside, Rangers moved to within touching distance of the title that would be officially theirs just days later.
"Our manager got sent off and our crazy Colombian centre-forward scored late on," Beale joked as he recalled his last trip to Livingston. "I have to tell you, I thought that was the moment we’d won the league.
"I know at the time we were a number of points in front, but that was the night I thought: 'OK'. That obviously came true with the home game against St Mirren.
"I’ve had some difficult days there, too. I find the game is always really competitive, with the way they play. I’m expecting exactly the same this weekend."
That night was symptomatic of Rangers in many ways across the course of the 55 campaign. It was ruthless, it was relentless, as a side that would eventually go the entire season unbeaten found a way to win once again.
Rangers proved early on that term that they had the mark of champions. The quality of the players that Gerrard guided was never in doubt, while questions over their mentality were answered week after week as history was made at Ibrox.
The efforts of Beale and his players will prove futile in Premiership terms this season and the silverware will once again be housed at Parkhead. The final weeks are far from meaningless, though, as Beale moulds a mindset and crafts a style that will allow Rangers to challenge next time out.
"We have to find a way to win," Beale said. "When I talk about wanting performances to be better, I’m a coach so I want the team to win 4-0 every week and the other team not to have a shot.
"The realistic side is that good performances sometimes come off a bit of struggle, when your defenders play well and you have to grind a little bit and come back from some adversity.
"It’s how you sum up what’s a good performance. At this moment in time, the boys are finding ways to win.
"They’re finding ways to win with me also rotating the starting line-up and giving people opportunities to play, whether that’s goalkeepers or other players coming in.
"We haven't done it with just the same core group of players. We have tried to evolve over the time.
"With one game a week now I think you’ll see that settle down a bit. I do want to create the thing where if you’ve got the shirt you keep it."
That process of evolution will be accelerated come the summer as decisions are made over the futures of stalwarts of the squad and the next phase of signings invigorates a group that is in need of fresh faces and new ideas.
The endeavours that took Rangers to the title two seasons ago naturally act as a blueprint and a barometer now that Beale has returned but the Englishman is fully cognisant of where his side are and where they need to get to in order to ensure that history repeats itself.
"I feel the same," Beale said when asked for a comparison to that 55 season, "Sometimes, I think you have rose-tinted glasses. When you were living it, there were some bumps in the road.
"When you look back at it, it looks like everything was rosy but that’s not the reality. In the time I was here previously, we did get beat or draw away at Kilmarnock, we had tough days at Pittodrie, tough days at home to Hibs, tough days up at Tannadice. All of that.
"Since I’ve come back, we’ve gone to all those places and got good results. So, for me, they’re good signs but all the time you’re striving for more.
"I think I came into the club at a time when everyone was downbeat. Followers of the club, the media and the players inside the club were all a little bit downbeat.
"I’d like to think we’re some way towards a better place today but everything has still to be determined this season, I think."
Victory over David Martindale's side this afternoon would be another small step in the right direction for Rangers, further proof of the impact that Beale has had on his players technically, tactically and mentally since he replaced Giovanni van Bronckhorst as manager.
This is a match that must be won to prolong the Premiership ambitions. Next week, it is a game where failure is simply not an option as Beale's side face Celtic in the Viaplay Cup final.
The medal that Beale had placed round his neck two years ago was cherished at the time and still is today. Yet he knows as well as anyone that the it is the glories of tomorrow rather than the successes of the past that must be focused on now.
"If you’ve been a fan of Rangers in these last few years, you’ve had some wonderful days out in Europe, you’ve watched at home as we won the league unbeaten during the Covid season," Beale said. "One semi-final has already delivered a day out at Hampden.
"If I can give them another at the cup final, which we’re providing next week, and then get to another semi-final and a final, you’re providing the fans with experiences and memories. Ultimately you want to hold the trophy up.
"Since I came back, it feels like every game has been a cup tie, to be honest. Because every game has been you have to win.
"At some stage that will change, naturally, and will probably enable the team to make another jump and grow again.
"At the moment, they are probably playing on the edge of a cliff, aren’t they? They need to win every single game.
"I know that’s the life of Rangers, but to evolve this group and input some more ideas I want to input, I’m looking forward to the off-season and pre-season.
"For the next 15 or 16 games, it’s just about doing whatever it takes to win as many of them as possible."
