The pubs were brimming, the sun was beaming, and Fir Park was stirring. Excitement and nerves built in equal measure. The Rangers support made themselves heard early, swelling with noise and numbers. But in the home stands, something else was rising - not just volume but spirit. Familiar faces began to reappear, handshakes turned to embraces, friendships reignited after a long summer apart. The surroundings felt known. The songs, the rituals, the rhythm of a match day - all just as they were. But the performance? That was something new.