Nicky Law: Rangers' semi-final shootout win my finest moment

Nicky Law, right, and Andy Halliday celebrate Rangers' penalty shootout win over Celtic in last season's Scottish Cup semi-final. Picture: Craig Foy/SNS

However, the midfielder has revealed that he was not supposed to take it.

An epic derby had finished 2-2 after extra time and it was time for spot-kicks. James  Tavernier and Nicky Clark missed for Rangers while Callum McGregor and Scott Brown both failed for Celtic inside the regulation five kicks.

So it was sudden death, and Law held his breath knowing he was seventh taker for  Rangers after Danny Wilson – if he was needed.

But Gedion Zelalem upset the order by taking the sixth penalty – and then Wilson told Law he was next.

The midfielder said: “It was the most nervous I have ever been as I walked up to take that kick. The thing was, the sequence of takers changed from what we had planned when it went to sudden death and I probably shouldn’t have taken it. I was down as the  seventh penalty taker, mainly because I hadn’t started the game and I think the first five had been selected.

“But Gedion nipped in and took the sixth penalty – but he wasn’t down to take one.  It should have been Danny Wilson.

“So I was thinking that Danny would take the next one and I would be pushed down to eighth – if I was needed.

“I was waiting for Danny to go up and take it but he told me it was still me because I was seventh.

“In a weird way it probably helped me because I didn’t have too much time to think about it. Fortunately, my penalty went in and then Tom Rogic skied his over the bar and we won the game.

“It was the best feeling I have had on a football field by a country mile. To get the winning penalty in a shootout against Celtic at Hampden was an unbelievable feeling and one that will be difficult to surpass. It was a fantastic achievement because it was the first time we had beaten Celtic since everything that had happened to the club.

“You could just see how much it meant to everybody – the players, the staff and, of course, the fans. You just need to look at all the pictures and videos from that day and  for me to score the decisive penalty makes it all the more memorable.”

Law is hoping to clinch a League One play-off spot with Stuart McCall’s Bradford on Saturday by beating AFC Wimbledon and then his thoughts will immediately turn to Sunday’s Old Firm showdown.

He said: “I don’t think Rangers have anything to fear. The last two games have been really close and could have gone either way. As good as  Celtic have been this year, I don’t think Rangers will have an inferiority complex.

“I would love to get to  Sunday’s game. I want to see some good friends of mine enjoying the same feeling we had last year.”