THE ZERO HEROES

Jig recalls squaring up to United's superstars as Walter went eight at the back to blank them

- ANDY NEWPORT

IT was sold as a Battle of Britain but it's probably better remembered as the Siege of Stretford.

Lee McCulloch and his Rangers side did well to escape unharmed from Old Trafford back in 2010 on a night when the gulf between Scotland's top clubs and their English counterparts was clear, maybe not by the scoreline but certainly by the managers' respective tactics.

While Sir Alex Ferguson felt comfortable enough sending out a second-string line-up for Manchester United's Champions League opener, old friend Walter Smith was forced into the footballing equivalent of circling the wagons.

McCulloch looked back on that night and joked his late, great gaffer had shaped his team up to play with eight at the back -but he wasn't far off the truth!

Smith's stubborn set-up at the Theatre of Dreams sent the Scottish champions to bed that night with a cherished point after a drab 0-0 draw. They didn't exactly come out all guns blazing in the return clash back in Glasgow but United did finally find the room to grab a winner with a Wayne Rooney penalty.

As he helped announce a pre-season friendly between the clubs, McCulloch said: "The Battle of Britain" - that's how it was built up.

"But football had changed financially, especially in England with the backing they had from sponsors and TV.

"Back then in 1992 it was more of a level playing field. But even in 2010 it wasn't level. When it's labelled the Battle of Britain there's a wee bit of extra pressure on you. I thought we came out of the two ties pretty well.