Dom Ball credits Rangers for 'best day of my life' and insists James Tavernier was already captain material in 2016

Dom Ball could have been forgiven for deja vu as he attempted to help Mark Warburton guide a Rangers side to promotion from the Championship back into the top flight.

It’s the blue and white of QPR that the midfielder pulls on for work these days although Saturday’s defeat to Stoke all but ended those play-off hopes.

But six years ago the Londoner was part of Warburton’s Glasgow version that clinched Championship promotion to end a four-year absence from the top tier of Scottish football.

Not only that but Ball tuned into last Sunday’s Scottish Cup semi-final to watch his old club dump Celtic and was immediately reminded of the best day of his LIFE.

It may have been six years ago last week but that thrilling Hampden victory over Ronny Deila’s Hoops which went all the way to a shoot out is as clear in the 26-year-old’s mind as if it was yesterday.

The 120 minutes – plus penalties – has a chapter all to itself in Ball’s book ‘From Winning Teams to Broken Dreams’, published this month, which tells the story of his and five of his best friends’ attempts to make it to the Premier League from when they were school kids.

Ball may stand just two games away from a potential play-off shot at achieving that dream but nothing yet can match his nine months in Govan in which he quickly learned that for Old Firm supporters football isn’t just a hobby – it’s a way of life.

And now he has had his greatest day, he’s backing Rangers to have theirs by reaching the Europa League Final. Speaking to Record Sport, Ball said: “That year at Rangers was the best of my career. And when I think about the Scottish Cup semi final that was one of the best days of my life.

“When I first heard I was going up to Scotland on loan I was apprehensive