The weekend we have been looking forward to, whether in apprehension - dread even! - or keen anticipation, is finally with us.
The assorted handwringers and do-gooders have been telling all and sundry Scotland can do without the clash of the country's two biggest clubs. Try telling that to the smug specimens running Scottish football. They are rubbing their hands at the prospect of a packed Hampden, they will tut-tut at the accompanying soundtrack but at the same time they will be gleefully counting the cash.
Suddenly the club game in this silly wee fitba backwater is important again. A worldwide television audience will be looking in, while scores of genuine journalists will descend on Glasgow, not just for the League Cup semi-final but for the pre-match and after-match festivities. Lets hope they see the unfolding story from both sides of the fence, as opposed to the sinisterly one-sided version of events our enemies are so good at hyping up.
The very presence of eleven blue jerseys on the Hampden pitch will be a source of great annoyance to so many - they will certainly be raging at the Septic End! - but their fury is a victory for us, regardless of how the game pans out. When our club went into financial meltdown three years ago, the aim of so many, at wee diddy teams and big clubs alike, was to see the Rangers wiped off the map.
So the noise booming out from the Rangers End will be a painful reminder to each and every one of them, the length and breadth of this bitter wee country, that they failed miserably. Our club has taken all they could throw at us, we've also suffered badly at the hands of the enemy within, but the Rangers are still alive and kicking, we might be in a helluva mess both on and off the pitch these days but that won't last for too much longer, change will happen and our days of being underdogs will be a thing of the past.
Being in the not-a-penny-more camp, I won't be at Hampden. Several good friends have offered me a ticket but, with the gate receipts from the semi-finals being pooled, as if filling our corrupt board's pockets wasn't bad enough, sharing my hard-earned cash with RaSellick, the Sheepies and Dundee Hibs was a definite non-starter. I've no issue with those who will be there, I hope you enjoy your day and, hey, if we can get an unexpected result I might even be a bit jealous of you. Fingers crossed.
Our preparations for our biggest game in several years have been far from ideal. The fans are immersed in the battle to get rid of the current board, the players are struggling to get their act together, our most promising young prospect has been sold for a pittance, the manager had made it clear he is in a job he never wanted in the first place. Could it be any worse?
We really should all disappear into darkened rooms around lunchtime and re-emerge a few hours later hoping our team hasn't suffered anything too traumatic.
But football isn't like that. Craig Thomson apart, its eleven men against eleven men, some might be more talented than others but, if the better men have an off day, or the lesser players rise to the occasion, anything can happen.
Lets not kid ourselves. Our lot have been abysmal this season, I have no qualms about saying this is the worst ever Rangers team but the other lot ain't too clever either, they are probably the worst Septic team for many a long year, so why shouldn't we give them something to think about?
I trust our guys have heard the so-called experts belittling them, that they've been made aware of the arrogance oozing out of Breezeblock Boulevard, they'll certainly be left in no doubt about the bitterness and hatred spewing out from the hordes of the Scum Of. Can you think of a better way of delivering a GIRUY message into their faces?
Michael Mols has said he'll be happy 'as long as they make us proud and wear the jersey with pride'. That will do for me. We've got a team of seasoned professionals who should be able to handle the occasion. If the other lot fancy an afternoon of show-boating, we can't let them away with it, we must let them know they are in a cup-tie where we are the team which wants to win it most. How will the loopy hoopies handle it?
But enough of this optimistic stuff. A team struggling in the Championship really shouldn't stand a chance against the Premiership leaders, they have better players is just about every position and, noting who is the referee, already I've got a bet on with a mate that we'll be down to ten men before half-time.
Then again, I well remember us twice beating them with only ten men in semi-finals. Beam me up Scottie!
LITTLE BOY BLUE