To Barcelona and Beyond: The Men Who Made Rangers Champions of Europe

Of the 107 trophies Glasgow Rangers boast, only one was claimed on foreign shores. The triumph over Moscow Dynamo in the 1972 European Cup Winners’ Cup final in the famous Nou Camp Stadium is the achievement three decades of Rangers teams have tried, and failed to emulate.To Barcelona and Beyond charts the twists and turns of that famous European campaign and tells the real story of the men who made it happen. Through in-depth interviews with the Nou Camp heroes and comprehensive profiles, this unique collection of tales reveals how each of the 11 homegrown players found themselves at the centre of on of Scotland’s rare European triumphs and just where football’s roller-coaster took them in the 33 years that followed.With one chapter dedicated to each of the 11 medal winners, the author discovers which player would have walked into Brazil’s World Cup team, what influence Rod Stewart and Bill Cosby had on one post-Barcelona career.The class of ‘72 included Scottish player of the year winners Sandy Jardine, John Greig, David Smith and Derek Johnstone as well as fellow internationals Peter McCloy, Alfie Conn, Colin Stein, Alex McDonald and Willie Johnston. They fused together on a May night in Spain to create football history. Each has a fascinating story to tell of the ups and downs that life in the Old Firm goldfish bowl created.For the generations of football fans too young to have witnessed the success of ‘72, To Barcelona and Beyond is an unmissable guide to the men who conquered Europe with Rangers. For the tens of thousands who celebrated all those years ago, it represents an emotional stroll down memory lane.

Paul Smith's love affair with football began two-and-a-half decades ago, and he has maintained the link with the beautiful game by a career in journalism as the sports news editor for the Press and Journal. He launched his career a decade ago with DC Thomson in Dundee, working on the Courier, Evening Telegraph, Sunday Post and Sporting Post as a news and sports reporter. Paul is also the son of David Smith, the former Scotland defender who was a key member of the '72 Rangers winners.