Rangers: Johnston, Stein & McCloy relive 1972 Cup Winners' Cup win

The best hour began in France and ended on a milk float. Was it a coal truck?

A European Cup Winners' Cup run that included a confused referee, angered a battered and bruised German icon, and was aided by a handful of Russian photographs, culminated in Barcelona and a date with Dynamo Moscow in the final.

It would turn into one of the most exciting nights in Rangers history, but one that was marred by fights on the pitch, as they were unable to defend a trophy that was claimed with character and conviction.

Three members of the famous 1972 team take us through the story of the Barcelona Bears, as the current Rangers side bid for glory 50 years on.

Who says the referee is always right?

Rangers had their best performances in Europe. They lost four of their first five games and finished behind Celtic and Aberdeen.

They started their continental campaign with a draw at Rennes and a win at home. The Scots lost by the same margin in normal time after winning the home leg.

Both sides scored in extra time to make it 6-6 on the aggregate. Laurens van Ravens should not have ordered a penalty shootout.

Peter McCloy is a goalkeeper. The away-goals rule was not understood by the referee. We thought we were done after extra time, but he wouldn't let us.

Colin Stein said that they missed all their penalties.

Winger Willie Johnston said that everyone thought we were out. John Fairgreave came into the dressing room and said that we were through because of the away goals. The ref had made a mistake.

Beating Bayern & kicking the Kaiser

The referee overruled him and Rangers were through to the next round. A draw in Torino and a win at Ibrox set up a semi against a side with names like Beckenbauer, Sepp Maier and Uli Hoeness.

They beat us in the final in 1967. Celtic had won the European Cup. We came home to two men and a dog.

In Germany, we were given a right battering. They could have scored two or three, but we defended well and got a draw.

Beckenbauer lost the plot when he kept shouting about Stein. Steiny kicked him.

Stein: We got off to a great start in the second leg, with a Sandy Jardine goal five or six minutes into the game, and we never looked back. They were always playing second fiddle to us.

Mission to Moscow & Nou feeling

There was only one club that stood between Rangers and a European trophy.

When we got to the stadium, all you could see was Rangers fans. You can see what it means for these people. You have to win it for them. The lift they gave us was that.

Stein: Waddell gave you pictures of the guys who would be marking you. He told John about their player. He got the ball and John tackled him. You wouldn't get away with it nowadays, but Sabo didn't touch the ball for about an hour.

Colin Jackson injured his ankle in training the day before, while John Greig was struggling with a leg injury. He was playing with a shinpad like the ones cricketers wear. In 1967, John, myself and Jardine all played in a final and lost, we didn't want that to happen again.

The Rangers were up by three goals in the first half. They scored on the hour and three minutes from time to make it 3-2.

At the end, we were hanging on. The fans came on to pitch as they thought time was up. So did I.

Dynamo made a song and dance about it and said it was affecting them, but it affected us as well. I thought the game was over, but the referee told me to keep going.

Everyone came on to the pitch after the full-time whistle. If the Spanish police had left them, it might have been a different story.

The police in Spain took a dim view of the military dictatorship of Franco. There was a riot after they came on with the batons. We didn't get to receive the trophy on the pitch.

Colin Stein beat me in a sprint, but I couldn't get off the pitch because I was surrounded by fans. I believe they got the trophy in the tunnel. John and Waddell returned to the dressing room with it.

The celebrations - milk float or coal lorry?

Rangers would not be able to defend the trophy after being banned from European competition. The days after the game offered a chance for the supporters to take in a historic moment.

The wives and mothers and fathers came to our hotel but were sent away after two hours because it was a night for the boys. They were put on a bus.

We did not see them until the flight home. There were fans everywhere when we arrived at Prestwick Airport.

It was an anti-climax. We went back to Ibrox and took a milk float.

Stein said that they got on the back of a coal truck and it was raining. The cup was a bit of a comedown from Barcelona, so the crowd got to see it.

The best for the best was what it was. You don't realize how special it is at the time.