AFTER ironing out the details on his one-year extension to his Rangers contract, Leon Balogun revealed he has been targeting this day ever since he joined the club last summer.
It has been a fantastic first campaign for the central defender, who will go down in history as a member of the side to have delivered 55.
His appreciation of Rangers and what it means to so many is clear, and he outlined his determination to be part of a group that delivers even more success going forward.
"I am very, very happy,” he told RangersTV. “There have been a few other players coming out with contract extensions and I was thinking to myself, 'when is it my turn, when are we going to announce it!?'
"But, I have been working towards that. When I first signed, I had that option - I think everyone knows that by now - and for me, it was just about working towards that and it is fantastic.
"I have been here almost a year now and we won the league in my first year being here which, as we all know, is a massive achievement for the club.
"I am proud and happy to be part of that and from day one pretty much, I have felt loads of love from the group and from the staff, and then when the games came in, from the fans on social media although I haven't met them yet properly!
"It was pretty much a no-brainer for me. I was not hesitating, I was just waiting until it could get over the line and I am really, really happy - it is a really happy day for me and I am very proud.
"It is a massive club. The trophies and the success in the past speaks for itself. I have been told that but I have realised now a little bit that this is one of the clubs that has the biggest support worldwide and it is just incredible to be part of that.
"I am in my 30s now - so advanced footballer age - and to get the opportunity to represent a club like this at this stage of my career is amazing and, as I said before, it is the love you feel, the togetherness and that sense of having a family is just massive and I hope the boys and I can repay that.
"I know this season was a bit difficult with all the restrictions and no fans in. I am a but overwhelmed to be honest - it is incredible and as I said, it is a massive club and I am super, super happy to be part of that and I am looking forward to bringing more success to the club, to the badge and not alone, with the team, and I think we have everything to go for it."
"The club has been through a lot and, in all fairness, I have not witnessed that - I have only seen the highs in this season.
"But you don't want to see any lows again and I want to be part of what we are building right now, where we build on the first success we had this season, and for me personally, I wish I had been part of such an environment before as the way everyone has been pushing everyone every day to go to their limit or to set new limits, it is just amazing and you grow as a person, as a character and you learn every day.
"You improve every day and I want to remain part of that for as long as possible, and the next challenge will be to keep setting new limits to push that bar a bit higher.
"Everybody is fully determined - I think you can hear it from the interviews the lads and the management staff are giving, we are just getting started now and, obviously, that is a big statement to make so it requires a lot of effort, a lot of work and everybody is determined to put that in."
Balogun mentioned there the previous new contracts that have already been agreed with Steven Davis, Allan McGregor and captain James Tavernier.
He outlines how important they have been this season in helping him integrate into the squad, continuing: "Greegs and Davo are ones who really, really understand and have it in their DNA what this club is about.
"When we have had little setbacks through this season, they have been pillars for us that we could go to, especially for a new player like me who hasn't been in touch with the fan culture and does not know as much about the history or hasn't been present through the lows.
"They were very, very, important, as has Tav, Connor [Goldson] - they have all been backbones to the team because they would carry you a little bit and give you an understanding what is demanded right now.
"They are massive and I think they are also vital parts for us to go forward, so it is amazing and great for the club and the team that they committed themselves."
Now, looking ahead to next season, Balogun is hopeful of achieving two of his big ambitions – playing in the Champions League and playing in front of a packed Ibrox.
He added: "Champions League is one of my dreams. I think I said that in an interview two years ago when things weren't looking that great for me.
"I said then I would love to play another World Cup and play in the Champions League. Now, I am one step closer which is amazing.
"I was never going to leave this club before I had met the fans properly and played in front of a full Ibrox, and things seem to be going in the right direction.
"They are the biggest part of the club with the way they carry the club and the pride they bring into the club and how it connects with the players.
"I have not seen it yet - I can only speak of what I have heard but I seriously cannot wait to be in a full Ibrox, and also at away games as I have heard they are everywhere and I want to witness that and have that experience of them carrying us to greater highs."