Rangers striker Cedric Itten has hailed their title win, admitting he can feel how ‘special’ it has been for the club’s fans.
Rangers were confirmed as champions of the Scottish Premiership on Sunday after Celtic’s 0-0 draw with Dundee United meant they could not be caught at the end of the table.
The title is the club’s first success in ten years, with Steven Gerrard’s side bringing an end to Celtic’s nine-year reign at the top of Scottish football and ending their hopes of securing a tenth straight title.
The victory is particularly special for Rangers fans given the journey to get there, having watched their team build their way back to the top after their 2012 financial meltdown, which saw them relegated to the bottom tier of Scottish football.
Fans flocked to Ibrox on Saturday and Sunday to celebrate the Celtic result, and Rangers’ title win, and Itten admits the win has an added emotion to it.
“Indeed, given the current situation, winning the title felt special,” he told FM1 Today.
“The people who grew up here in Glasgow reacted extremely emotionally.
“For many fans, it was felt to be the greatest triumph – just because of the whole history with the forced relegation in 2012.
“Rangers were a long time away from top-class football. And now it all came together.
“For the Rangers supporters, it was, of course, also important to prevent Celtic’s record with ten consecutive titles at the last moment.”
The title win is a first taste of success with Rangers for Itten, who joined the club from FC St. Gallen in a £2.7m deal in the summer.
It’s proven to be something of an indifferent first year for him in Scotland, with him managing 30 appearances in all competitions so far but just 965 minutes of action in total.
Indeed he has managed just four starts in the league this season, being substituted in 18 times of the 29 games he’s been part of the match-day squad.
That is not ideal for a player by any means but just simply being part of the story is enough to satisfy the 24-year-old.
“In the summer, I joined a team that had already been preparing for seven weeks,” he added.
“It also went perfectly for the team from the start – we’ve won almost every game so far. There was no reason to change anything about the starting eleven.
“And yet I was able to do my part; I came up with my minutes. For me, it is something great to be part of this story, to be able to wear the shirt of such a successful club.
“Our journey continues; thanks to our quality, there is a lot to play for.”
