Here, almost exactly 12 months on, with the same prize at stake and just a draw once more required, the gods again conspired to work against Rangers as they succumbed to a 2-0 defeat at home to Auxerre while across Europe Grazer were beating AZ Alkmaar by the same scoreline.
That unlikely combination of results from both grounds meant Rangers’ dream of playing in Europe beyond Christmas for just the third time in 11 years died an untimely death.
As well as disappointment and frustration, the overwhelming sensation when the final whistle finally sounded at Ibrox was one of overwhelming disbelief.
Rangers’ awkward-looking 4-5-1 starting formation had seemed to signal clinching a draw was the extent of their ambition.
The re-organisation meant Fernando Ricksen returned to right-back, saw Zurab Khizanishvili operate in front of the defence and seemingly allow Hamed Namouchi a free role.
The only alteration in personnel from the team that beat Dundee the previous weekend saw Jean-Alain Boumsong line up in his familiar role meaning Dragan Mladenovic dropped to the bench.
There was a strangely subdued atmosphere encompassing Ibrox as play got underway and it would get worse when the visitors took the lead just nine minutes in.
Auxerre’s move began when Rangers conceded possession from their own short corner.
Kanga Akale accepted the gift and burst down the right touchline, evading marker Namouchi to roll a pass into the path of Benjani Mwaruwari who in turn threaded a ball through to roving striker Bonaventure Kalou.
The former Feyenoord man’s first attempt thumped against the crossbar but the rebound fell kindly at his feet and, with no Rangers defender around him, he calmly converted the second chance.
Auxerre, assuming they would need a victory to earn their passage through, continued to peg Rangers back and only a smart stop from Stefan Klos kept out a fierce drive from Benoit Cheyrou.
It took 21 minutes for the home team to record a meaningful effort of their own when Namouchi leapt highest to nod Gregory Vignal’s free kick towards the Auxerre goal.
The ball rippled the netting but – despite the ecstatic cheers from sections all around the stadium – had fallen outside rather than inside Fabian Cool’s goal.
Moments later and the young Tunisian was only inches away from touching home Dado Prso’s cross after Nacho Novo had sent the Croatian ambling down the right wing.
Rangers were now at least starting to impose themselves as an attacking force although this did leave them open to the rapier pace of Auxerre’s counter attacks.
The French side could count themselves unfortunate not to double their lead after 32 minutes when Cheyrou’s swerving cross evaded the head of Teemu Tainio but fell kindly at the feet of Mwaruwari.
Perhaps surprised to be presented with such a glaring opportunity the striker stabbed tentatively at the loose ball, allowing Klos to gather easily.
As Auxerre continued to bear down on the Rangers goal, McLeish could have been forgiven for embarking on drastic action to arrest the situation although he appeared to have numerous alibis when a section of the Govan Stand floodlights conked out casting part of the pitch in darkness.
The lights duly returned as did the frustration for Rangers as Novo slipped a ball into Prso who wriggled into a scoring position before screwing a shot agonisingly wide.
That was the last real chance of a dismal first period and the gloom was heightened at the half-time hiatus with news that Grazer were leading Alkmaar in the group’s other match.
McLeish shuffled his side at the break – returning Ricksen to midfield and Zurab to defence – but before they could settle Rangers found themselves two goals down.
Akale’s chipped pass fell between Boumsong and Marvin Andrews allowing Kalou the time and and space to dink a low shot past Klos at the far post.
Boumsong, in particular, seemed to be caught off-guard by the pace of Kalou as Auxerre coasted into a two-goal lead to boost their qualification aspirations.
It got worse for Rangers minutes later when Vignal was tripped in the box only for ref Franz Xaver-Wack to deny the Frenchman a penalty and then book him for diving.
With Grazer now leading by two goals, there was now no alternative but for Rangers to throw everyone forward to try to save their European season.
A succession of offside decisions and mis-placed passes, however, meant many dangerous moves broke down in the final third.
When Rangers did finally circumvent both picky officialdom and their own incompetence just after the hour mark, Cool was equal to Novo’s blistering drive with Arveladze crowded out before he could nod in the rebound.
With not a single striker available to McLeish on the bench, his first change was to replace Khizanishvili with Alan Hutton.
The young defender’s first real involvement came after 72 minutes when his left-foot cross was powered goalwards from the head of Prso.Cool, however, living up to his name was once more able to tip the header over to further frustrate the bulk of the crowd crammed into Ibrox.
Alex Rae was thrown on with 10 minutes to go but it was too little too late as the European dream died for another season.
RANGERS (5-4-1): 1 Klos; 2 Ricksen, 15 Khizanishvili (Hutton 54), 4 Boumsong, 5 Andrews, 24 Vignal; 10 Novo, 12 Malcolm; 31 Namouchi (A Rae 80), 2 Ricksen, 7 Arveladze; 9 Prso
Subs not used: G Smith, Moore, Mladenovic, Ball, Ross
Booked: Vignal (51)
AUXERRE (4-4-2): 1 Cool; 29 Sagna (Jaures 81), 23 Bolf, 12 Mignot, 4 Grichting; 10 Tainio (Gonzales 80), 6 Violeau, 7 Cheyrou, 11 Akale; 21 Mwaruwari, 15 Kalou
Subs not used: Chabert, Jaures, Peroni, Vandenbosshe, Recorbet, Coulibaly
Booked: Cheyrou (65)
Man of the Match: Hamed Namouchi