RANGERS will tick another box in their ongoing rehabilitation process on Thursday night when they play their first European tie for six years. For some it will represent the final stop on the long journey back to the top following liquidation in 2012 and the subsequent slog through the lower leagues, a return to the days when continental football was the norm rather than a novelty.

Lee Wallace, though, is not ready to settle for just that. The Rangers captain is the sole survivor from the side that fell at the first hurdle in both the Champions League and Europa League qualifiers in 2011/12, events that would pale into relative insignificance given what else unfolded at the club later in that campaign.

Wallace had only arrived at Rangers that summer but chose to stay on when the roof came crashing in a year later. Few, then, deserve to celebrate the significance of Thursday’s qualifying tie against Progres Niederkorn more than the 29-year-old but he believes it is only another staging post rather than the final destination.

“When I signed here my debut was a Champions League qualifier which was really special to me,” he recalled. “The result didn’t go to plan but I enjoyed the whole process, the build-up, playing in the game itself. We were the reigning champions at the time and trying to get in a Champions League group stage.

“That is one of the reasons I came to the club and so the lack of European football probably has been a void. I don’t think anyone in the world could have foreseen what was to happen six months later which has obviously played a part in our not being involved in European football. So I am looking forward to getting back to it.

“A phrase I would always use on the journey was that we wanted to get Rangers back to where we belong. In terms of league status, of course, we have managed to do that. But where we belong is at the top of the Scottish league and getting to the Champions League group stages. That is where the club was before.

“We realise that is going to take a lot of hard work, we realise it is going to take time, but I don’t think we can say we are back to where we belong in terms of the prestige of the tournaments that I mentioned or where we need to be domestically. But we are working hard to do that.”

Wallace, though, will make a long-awaited personal breakthrough should Rangers make it safely into the second qualifying round as they are widely expected to do. This is the start of his fourth European campaign – he previously had two seasons with Hearts – and is yet to progress through any of his previous five ties.

“My record hasn’t been great,” he admitted. “I think there were two with Hearts and then that one season with Rangers. So, aye, I haven’t managed to do as well in Europe the times I have played but we will be looking to do well next week. There is no doubt about that.

“I think everyone will say that [it will be hard to reach the group stage]. Stats will tell you it is very difficult for a team that has the four qualifying round - eight games - to get through to the group but we are not going to let that hold us back. We will be realistic but in any competition we want to do as best we can and this isn’t going to differ. We realise it is going to be difficult but we are going to try and go as far as we can.”

For Wallace, running out the tunnel on Thursday night will also conclude a frustrating period with injury that saw him miss the end of last season and undergo an operation.

“It was a tear in my oblique, they call it a sportsman's hernia,” he said. “While I didn’t want to miss the last six or seven games of last season, I am delighted I got the procedure done. I am glad I have got that done and I feel stronger.”

- The general sale of tickets for Thursday's game will commence today and can be purchased online at www.rangers.co.uk or telephone 0871 702 1972. Ticket prices are £15 for adults, £10 for concessions and £5 for kids.