Rangers were aiming to be double winning legends at home and abroad in this week.
Now they must avoid being a team forever remembered as the nearly men.
Giovanni van Bronckhorst and his men missed out on a place in Scottish football folklore following the agonising Europa League final penalty shoot out against Eintracht Frankfurt.
And now the Dutchman must try and pick up his dejected troops for a Scottish Cup final against Hearts at Hampden on Saturday.
Unfortunately for former Rangers goalkeeper and coach Billy Thomson he knows from bitter experience how it can all go horribly wrong.
And he’s hoping the current crop don’t suffer the same fate as his Dundee United in 1987 as they were left to rue a glorious opportunity.
Jim McLean’s side battled for the very trophy Rangers missed out on in southern Spain next week when they reached the final against IFK Gothenburg.
Having beaten Barcelona and German giants Borussia Monchengladbach en route, the Taysiders were fancied.
But, then a two-legged affair in the final, they were edged out 2-1 on aggregate with the second leg in Sweden a 1-1 draw.
And to compound their misery, United returned home and lost the Scottish Cup final as Ian Ferguson’s extra time for St Mirren proved the different at Hampden.
Thomson spent a couple of years at Rangers at the end of his career and returned as a goalkeeping coach where he helped set current keeper Allan McGregor on the road to stardom.
He could see similarities in his old club’s run to the final with Eintracht Frankfurt not of the same calibre as some of the teams they have beaten en route.
But the 64-year-old hopes the outcome isn’t the same. He told Record Sport: “We had an almost identical situation as Rangers have had this week, albeit our UEFA Cup final was over two legs.
"And the first final is so important as it can set you up for the next one. If you win the first final then it gives you confidence for that second one and you feel great about yourself for the next one.
“But the flip side is when you lose the first one then you are hurting and we suffered a double whammy just days later.
“We were expected to win against St Mirren in the final and I think the same could have been said about IFK Gothenburg.
“We had beaten Barcelona so people thought ‘It’s only Gothenburg’ but I felt they were the best of all the sides we played, including Lens and Hajduk Split who were a top Yugoslav team.
“We didn’t think it inside the squad but Gothenburg were pretty much written off by others. But they were typical Scandinavian and Glenn Hysen went to Liverpool and others went to top clubs.
“It was a marathon season for us in 1986/87 and people were saying we must have been tired but I felt it was the opposite and wins gave us momentum until we got to those final hurdles.
“But to lose two in quick succession is so hard to take and it just shows you the fine margin between legendary status and being remembered as the team who loses two finals.”
It appeared like it could be set up for Allan McGregor when the match went to penalties in what could well have been his final game for the club if Jon McLaughlin starts the Scottish Cup final.
McGregor missed the 2008 UEFA Cup final but it wasn't to be for the 40-year-old.
However, he could still end up with a winners' medal on Saturday and van Bronckhorst could even take a potential swansong into consideration and play the veteran shot-stopper.
Thomson said: “I would be so happy for Allan McGregor if he got his hands on another trophy.
“I was 36 when I got a move to Rangers and it gives you that extra incentive and retiring International football has helped Allan as well.
“There’s certain things and events in your career that give you a wee boost and he must be on cloud nine just now.”
