SCOTTISH CUP Rangers 1 Falkirk 0: KENNY MILLER hopes he will finally be accepted by the fans after helping bring success back to Rangers. The striker knows he was an unpopular signing when he returned to Ibrox last summer for a second spell at the club, having spent a year with rivals Celtic.
And he was well aware it would take time and hard work to win over the supporters who opposed his return and jeered him in the early part of the season. However, those jeers turned to cheers on Saturday when he helped Rangers clinch a domestic double by adding the Scottish Cup to the Premier League title.
Speaking of the moment when fans chanted his name, Miller admitted: “It means a lot. To come back to the club after where I played before was always going to be hard for me. But I think success was always going to bring different views. This season has been a big success for us, getting the league back and the Scottish Cup.”
Rangers claimed the Scottish Cup and League Cup last season but Miller insists this year’s domestic double is far more special. “Of course it is,” he said. “The league is the one you want to win. We would much rather have won the treble but we’ve got the double and the league and Scottish Cup is definitely the one you want to win. First and foremost, it was more important to win the league back and secure Champions League football.”
A superb goal from Nacho Novo allowed Rangers to clinch a narrow victory over a battling Falkirk side at Hampden.
“It was quite a frustrating game for us,” admitted Miller. “Falkirk kept the ball for long periods of time and I think at the end of the day we were a bit fortunate to get the goal. It was a wonder goal from Nacho with his first touch and it was going to take something like for us to win the game.
“It was roasting out there and it’s hard work, especially when you are chasing the ball. You could see at the end Falkirk looked to have a lot of energy. But we got there in the end. These games are about the result, not the performance.”
Miller did not believe Rangers’ lacklustre performance was the result of a hangover from their title triumph. “I don’t think so,” he said. “Falkirk have come out and played in a way which really frustrated us. They kept the ball well and worked very hard to keep it.”
RANGERS: Alexander, Whittaker, Bougherra, Weir, Papac, Davis, Ferguson, McCulloch, Lafferty (Dailly 88), Boyd (Novo 46), Miller (Naismith 85). Subs Not Used: McGregor, Wilson. Booked: Whittaker, Dailly, Novo. Goals: Novo 46.
FALKIRK: Dani Mallo, McNamara, Barr, Aafjes, Scobbie, Arfield, Cregg (Finnigan 74), McBride (Higdon 74), O'Brien, McCann (Stewart 74), Lovell. Subs Not Used: Olejnik, Pressley. Booked: McNamara, Barr, Finnigan.
Referee: Craig Thompson(Scotland).
