The sign Rangers rattled Man Utd on last Old Trafford trip as moans of 2 stars were music to the ears of Ibrox camp

Kirk Broadfoot watched Rio Ferdinand and Darren Fletcher give the Old Trafford groundstaff dog’s abuse.

It was then he knew Walter Smith’s Rangers had done a job on a top Manchester United side. The big defender was part of the Light Blues team that came away with a 0-0 draw away to the Red Devils in the 2010-11 Champions League. Smith had come up with a defensive masterclass that secured Rangers a point against one of Sir Alex Ferguson’s glory sides.

Broadfoot knew United were rattled when Fletcher and Ferdinand were both having a go at the ground staff for playing into Rangers hands by leaving the grass longer and not watering the pitch. The former Scotland international recalled: “I remember going off at half-time and a couple of the players were having a right go at the groundsmen. It was Rio Ferdinand and Darren Fletcher and they were complaining that they hadn’t watered the pitch enough and it was too sticky for their passing game. They were also saying the grass was too long.

"When you hear that you know the way we had played was getting to them. It was music to my ears but at the same time we knew we still had another 45 minutes to finish off the job.”

United had their galaxy of stars from Wayne Rooney and Ferdinand, Ryan Giggs and Michael Owen. Rangers had been written off but Broadfoot knew that group, under the tactical genius of Smith, loved upsetting the odds and just a couple of years earlier had made the UEFA Cup final.

“Every game is massive when you are at Rangers,” he added. “They are even bigger when they are in the Champions League and you are up against the top clubs at the likes of Manchester United at Old Trafford. We were on a decent run and I remember going to United. United were big favourites