Jack Butland admits Rangers upturn has been 'too long coming' but has message for cynics who wrote them off

Old Firm football can be a fickle business, as Jack Butland has quickly learned from his 18 months in the Glasgow goldfish bowl.

A mere 19 days separated the two 1-1 draws Rangers played out against Dundee United and Tottenham Hotspur. But while the first was greeted like a death in the family, the second is being looked upon by the Gers faithful as proof Philippe Clement’s side are finally reborn. The contrast of those two occasions could hardly be starker.

The score stalemate against Jim Goodwin’s Tangerines was delayed by 45 minutes as the United team bus was held up on the snowbound road to Glasgow. The final whistle brought a reception that was even frostier as the Ibrox crowd reacted to a result that left them trailing Celtic by 11 points with another chorus of boos. After the game, Clement was forced to admit his credit line with the supporters was almost up.

But fast forwarding to the scenes that followed Thursday’s night’s electrify Europa League clash with Spurs, it’s clear the big Belgian is now back in the black with the Light Blue legions. Fourteen goals in the space of four victories over Nice, St Johnstone, Kilmarnock and Ross County certainly bought the under-pressure gaffer some time.

Now he can well and truly buy back the affections of the Gers support if his team can build on the promise shown against Ange Postecoglou’s North Londoners and topple Celtic in Sunday’s Premier Sports Cup final. It still looks like this sudden resurgence may have come too late to rescue their title hopes.

But Butland hopes Rangers’ return to form has arrived in the nick of time as they head for Hampden. Asked to explain the rapid mood swing around Ibrox, the keeper said: "That's how quick it can change.

“If you put in