On this day: Rangers, Shelbourne play out eight-goal thriller

Looking back on his four-year stint in charge of Rangers, it would be fair to describe Dick Advocaat as a success at Ibrox.

He oversaw two Scottish Premier League title victories, a further two triumphs in the Scottish Cup and one more in the Scottish League Cup. But, as his era at the helm got underway 17 years ago today, there was certainly cause for concern.

When Shelbourne were paired with Rangers in the first qualifying round of the UEFA Cup, a routine victory was anticipated for the Scottish side, who in Advocaat, would be playing under a foreign manager for the first time in the club's history.

Yet, with 58 minutes gone of the first leg, which was hosted at Prenton Park on Merseyside on security grounds, the Dutchman must have feared an immediate backlash.

There were just seven minutes on the clock when Irish outfit Shelbourne broke the deadlock through former Juventus defender Sergio Porrini, who turned Dessie Baker's cross into his own net.

One goal was seen as a minor setback for the Gers, but when Mark Rutherford lashed in from close range to make it 2-0 to Shelbourne shortly before the break, a big upset appeared to be on the cards.

Much was expected of Rangers after the interval, but in the 58th minute it seemed that the tie was over when Pat Morley beat goalkeeper Antti Niemi to a loose ball to score a third goal for the delirious home side.

However, just 60 seconds later, things clicked into gear for Rangers. Jorg Albertz pulled a goal back from the penalty spot, before Argentine striker Gabriel Amato marked his debut with a goal.

Another player making his first appearance for Rangers - Dutch full-back Giovanni van Bronckhorst - then levelled up proceedings in the 75th minute when he ghosted into the Shelbourne area, before sending a right-footed shot into the bottom corner.

Advocaat's men were now in the ascendancy and they made their domination count eight minutes from time when Amato headed in his second goal of the contest at the back post from a Jonatan Johansson cross.

The final say in the 85th minute went to Albertz, who having scored his side's first goal of the contest from the penalty spot, repeated the trick after Tony McCarthy had been penalised for a handball for a second time in the contest.

Reflecting on the game in 2010, Rangers midfielder Ian Ferguson, who was a second-half substitute, told the Daily Record: "When I think back to how that era all started it was a bit surreal to say the least.

"We were playing Shelbourneat Tranmere's ground and we were 1-0 down and then the next minute it was 2-0 and then 3-0 despite Advocaat laying down the law at half-time.

"To be fair to the boys we came back very strongly and it could have been six or seven in the end and we got the result we needed on a strange, strange night."

Shelbourne: Gough; Smith, McCarthy, Scully, Geoghegan; Baker, Fitzgerald, Kelly (Sheridan), Fenlon, Rutherford; Morley.

Rangers: Niemi; Porrini, Amoruso, Petric, Van Bronckhurst; Gattuso (Johansson 45), B Ferguson, Thern (I Ferguson), Albertz; Graham (Amato), Durie