So with the Dutchman on the field, starting for the first time in almost four months, the Rangers supporters had to content themselves with ‘The Hammer’, who was mobbed by hordes of admirers on his way to the game.
And the big German had reason to celebrate just seconds into the game as his former team-mate, who has had suffered more than anyone at Ibrox recently, scored on his return to the starting line-up.
Mols could actually have had a hat-trick as he passed up two golden opportunities in the second half before being replaced to a standing ovation by Tore Andre Flo with 20 minutes of the match to go.
You would have thought having taken such an early lead that Rangers would have gone on to score more but in the end they only had the Mols goal to show for their efforts in what was an uninspiring performance.
Nevertheless, Alex McLeish was still celebrating his third victory on the trot as he aims to make the most of what Dick Advocaat has left him before deciding what changes need to be made to the squad.
Big Eck did make some alterations to the starting line-up, some forced and others through choice. Peter Lovenkrands and Craig Moore, both excellent in the Boxing Day win over Hibs, were out through injury.
But the real shock team news surrounded Mols, the Dutchman being handed his first starting place since September 30 and featuring for the first time since the scoreless draw with Dundee on the first day of December.
And it took the former Utrecht star just 60 seconds to repay McLeish’s faith in him when he fired Rangers into the lead. Fellow countryman Ronald de Boer, back in the team after missing out at Easter Road, fed a lovely ball into his path and he fired low past rookie ‘keeper Kevin Cuthbert.
Mols was almost in tears as his jubilant team-mates celebrated with him, complete with that trademark smile emblazoned across his face, as the fans chanted their cult hero’s name from the stands.
St Johnstone were looking for their first win at Ibrox in exactly 30 years and that early goal came as a huge blow to any hopes they had of making history. After Mols’ opener, many felt it would be a case of ‘how many?’ for Gers against the SPL’s basement boys.
But it was in fact the Perth men who had the next two best opportunities of the game, as the Light Blues once again went into their shell after gaining an early advantage.
Two players in the McDiarmid Park ranks who would have been familiar to the Rangers fans were Peter MacDonald, a former reserve player at Ibrox, and Tommy Lovenkrands, brother of current star Peter.
And it was those two players who created the chances. MacDonald made the first, galloping past Fernando Ricksen on the left-hand side before whipping a ball across the face of goal which Rachid Djebaili was inches away from connecting with and equalising for Saints.
Then in the 16th minute Lovenkrands did well, again on the left, before crossing for that experienced striker Willie Falconer who deserved credit for getting a volleyed effort in on goal but it was straight into the arms of Stefan Klos.
But Rangers always looked dangerous in attack, especially with a line-up that consisted of such attacking players as Mols, Claudio Caniggia, Shota Arveladze and De Boer.
However, it was defender Arthur Numan who came closest to increasing Gers’ lead, the Dutchman trying his luck from the edge of the box with a right-footed effort which Cuthbert managed to get a hand to and push out for a corner.
The Rangers players left the field at half time having failed to satisfy what was almost a full house at Ibrox and the supporters were desperate for an improvement when the team returned after the half time break.
But it was St Johnstone who had the first real chance after the re-start, MacDonald taking his effort from a Djebaili cross first time but it travelled well wide of the goal in the end to the relief of Klos in the Gers goal.
Referees are clamping down on diving these days and Caniggia was booked for doing just that in the 54th minute but it appeared only Bobby Orr believed he had deliberately gone to ground, with most assuming Paul Hartley would have been shown the yellow card for a bad tackle. The Argentinian was replaced by Neil McCann a short time later.
Mols should have doubled his, and Rangers’ tally, in the 67th minute. Numan played a neat backheel to him inside the box as the St Johnstone players’ claims for offside were in vain but he blasted his shot wide.
Moments later he had an even better chance when a Ricksen corner fell to his feet just yards from goal but he fired his shot over the bar. He was immediately taken off and replaced by Flo.
St Johnstone almost punished Rangers for their failure to convert their chances when Djebaili was straight through on goal but Klos pulled off an immense save to protect the Light Blues’ lead but it certainly served as a warning.
De Boer has showed flashes of the brilliance that once had him regarded as the greatest player in the world during his time at Ibrox and the skill he displayed with little more than 10 minutes to go was worthy of any team on the planet.
The former Ajax and Barcelona star danced round the Saints defence with ease but after doing all the hard work he couldn’t provide a finish to match and his wayward shot went wide of goal when it looked easier to score.
And with that went any chance of Rangers increasing their lead, but at least it was another three points in the bag as they look to keep pressure on leaders Celtic.
RANGERS: Klos, Ricksen, Amoruso, Numan, Ferguson, Caniggia (McCann 58), Mols (Flo 69), De Boer, Konterman, Ross, Arveladze Subs (not used): Christiansen, Vidmar, Dowie
ST JOHNSTONE: Cuthbert, Dods, McCluskey, Dasovic, Lovenkrands, Murray, Falconer, Hartley, Djebaili (McBride 81), MacDonald, Fotheringham (Russell 65) Subs (not used): Miller, McClune
Bookings: Rangers – Caniggia (54)
Referee: Bobby Orr
Attendance: 48,827
Man of the match: Ronald de Boer
Moment of the match: That unmistakable grin once again on the face of Michael Mols as his effort hit the back of the net.