IT IS appropriate that David Murray celebrates 20 years in charge at Ibrox with a visit from Aberdeen as this fixture illustrates more than most the impact he has had on Scottish football.
This will be the Pittodrie club's 32nd attempt to win at the venue since goals from Eoin Jess and Brian Grant gave what was then Alex Smith's side their last victory there in September 1991.
That came just four months after the final day shoot-out
between the pair to decide the title, Rangers triumphing in a game they had to win to keep alive their nine-in-a-row dream.
The financial disparity between the clubs has grown into a chasm since then, reflected in Aberdeen's dismal run of results which have yielded just seven points in 17 subsequent seasons.
Their current captain, the 29-year-old Scott Severin, had just started secondary school when the Dons last travelled back from the Govan ground with full points.
Given the history of the fixture, including the old accusation that Aberdeen always lift their game against their most bitter rivals, he finds a lack of success at Ibrox hard to fathom.
Severin does have experience of winning at the venue with Hearts, as well as recent exposure to how these long-running hoodoos finally do end, albeit from the wrong end of those results.
The player, equally comfortable in defence or midfield, is confident of playing a positive role in making that happen this afternoon even if the odds are stacked against it becoming the regular occurrence of old.
He said: "We know only too well that it's been a funny season for upsets as Hamilton posted their first win against us at Pittodrie for over 70 years recently. Also, Inverness Caley Thistle beat us for the first time ever back in August, and hopefully we can break a record of our own at Ibrox.
"That's one of the good things about football as these sorts of statistics are there to be shattered, which gives us more determination to win. What you need is the bravery to get on the ball and pass it in front of 50,000 fans as it's easier doing that going to the likes of Rugby Park.
"It can be an intimidating place sometimes but it's strange as you always have more time than you think at Ibrox because they allow you to pass the ball about. If they do that on Saturday and we create opportunities then I'm sure that we have the people to put the ball in the net."
Darren Mackie faces a fitness test for the Dons, but Bertrand Bossu, Jamie Smith, Tommy Wright and Stuart Duff are all still sidelined.
The full article contains 462 words and appears in The Scotsman newspaper.
