Rangers Legends: Gazza takes centre stage in charitable finale to 150th anniversary match

Even when restricted to a cameo role, Paul Gascoigne inevitably stole the show on his return to Ibrox for Rangers’ 150th anniversary celebration match.

The 54-year-old, whose physical appearance provides a reminder of the personal demons he has battled for much of his life, was only able to join the action in the closing few minutes as a substitute for the Rangers Legends side.

Rapturously acclaimed by the impressive crowd of 38,071 at Ibrox, the benevolence of Gascoigne’s former England squad mate David James allowed him to get his name on the scoresheet as the World Legends goalkeeper deliberately allowed a trundling shot to squirm past him into the net.

It was a moment which emphasised the largely light-hearted mood of an occasion bathed in the early spring sunshine.

Some of the waistlines may have expanded and hairlines receded since those on show were in their pomp. But even at the predictably sedate pace of proceedings, it was clear that the competitive fire is not easily doused within individuals who spent so many of their earlier years in driven pursuit of some of the game’s greatest honours.

Giovanni Van Bronckhorst himself was testament to that. The Rangers manager, one of the leaner and fitter of those lacing up the boots again, raised the tempo with a crunching challenge on Michel Salgado which wouldn’t have looked out of place in one of the El Clasico fixtures in which they previously went head-to-head for Barcelona and Real Madrid respectively.

It wasn’t just the opposition who found themselves at the sharp end of van Bronckhorst’s obvious desire for victory. His compatriot and team-mate Ronald de Boer was berated when he failed to pick him out in a promising position on the edge of the World XI’s penalty