John Lundstram channels Rangers spirit of Seville as he reveals Betis heroics has stars dreaming of another special run

Thursday's child has far to go but in John Lundstram, Rangers have someone who knows the way.

There’s still some long, hard yards for the Light Blues to march in the Europa League but by exorcising their Seville ghosts, Philippe Clement’s side have taken a huge step forward on the road towards Dublin. And Lundstram can claim a huge chunk of the plaudits having done as much as anyone to keep the Light Blues on the right path.

It was another Thursday night where the silky Scouser dug deep to summon the kind of performance that not so long ago had Belinda Carlisle raking in some unexpected royalties. He was back to being proclaimed the ‘best on earth’ by the jubilant Gers fans perched high up in the top tier at the Estadio Benito Villamarin and his best was too good for Real Betis.

There’s something about lacing up for action under the Europa League lights that electrifies the 29-year-old and it was his high-voltage display in the centre of midfield that helped keep Gers sparking as Manuel Pellegrini’s team threatened to pull the plug on Ibrox qualification hopes.

Now those lights are illuminating the path to the last 16 but it’s a journey Lundstram knows all too well after the adventure to Andalusia under Gio van Bronckhorst. So what is it about the Thursday action that inspires the former Sheffield United man to heights that seem out of reach at other times?

“I don’t know, mate,” he admitted. “It is the history of the club maybe, the resoluteness of the lads. We have got some strong characters in the dressing room and we just seem to find something in Europe that drives us through. The fans were magnificent.

“The other night reminded me of the last run we had in this competition a little bit, yeah. The lads are buzzing