The winds of history can pick up the unsuspecting bystander and carry him to glory. One minute the player can be serving drinks to passengers at Edinburgh Airport, the next he can be flying across goal to save a penalty that takes his side into a European final.

This hopelessly romantic scenario has become bright, brilliant reality for Neil Alexander. But first the opportunity had to be lost by at least three goalkeepers. Allan McGregor is the most unfortunate. Injury has ruled him out of the climax to a season in which he has played a major part. Roy Carroll walked away from Ibrox to become the regular goalkeeper for Derby County, the worst English Premier League side in history. Darren Ward could not be prised from Sunderland where he is understudy to Craig Gordon.

Alexander, though, took his chance. The Scottish internationalist left Ipswich Town in the January transfer window and the rest has been a whirlwind of activity.

"It is difficult to take in," Alexander said, pondering the prospect of tomorrow night's match against Zenit St Petersburg in the City of Manchester Stadium. "A lot of things have happened in a short space of time. I was expecting to sit on the bench for the rest of the season and watch Allan play. Unfortunately, he has picked up an injury and I have been thrown in at the deep end, but I have been enjoying it."

He admitted of his move to Ibrox on a three-and-a-half-year contract: "It was a big decision for me. It was a family decision as much as it was a career decision," he said. "Obviously, the chance to get back up to Scotland was a big thing for me. The fact of coming to a massive club such as Rangers was very, very appealing. I knew I was coming here as a second choice, but I knew that if I worked hard enough, kept my head down that you never know in football . . . it is a funny old game at times. Injuries occur and suspensions occur." The sentiment is cliched, but true.

Alexander, 30, moved north with his wife, Joanne, and his two children, Holly, four, and Olivia, eight months. He waited more than a month for his first start after McGregor was sent off in the the Scottish Cup tie against Hibernian. His moment of glory occurred in the shadow of the Tuscan hills on a dramatic night in Florence. He faced Fabio Liverani in the penalty shoot-out and saved the Italian's effort. He admitted he "took as much time as I could" as Christian Vieri prepared to take his penalty. The Italian shot over.

Rangers won the penalty shoot-out, but it was not a shock to Alexander.

"Sometimes, in the quiet moments, you think about what could happen," he said. "You go through every scenario. It crossed my mind that if it the Fiorentina match went to penalties I would be confident enough to save one. You dream about that save that takes the club through. That was not to be, though I made an important save at an important time in the game and it gave Nacho Novo the opportunity for glory."

He is looking forward to Manchester. "There will be times when you think about what could happen," he reflected. "The saves you could make. It is a dream of mine, first of all, to be part of the dream in a European final, but to then win the trophy and go down in Rangers history would be incredible for me."

Alexander's biggest match before he arrived at Rangers was for Cardiff City in the division two play-off final victory of May 2003. His career has been marked with a steady rise in fortunes. He started with Stenhousemuir and worked at Edinburgh Airport to supplement his part-time wage. A spell at Livingston followed before he headed to Cardiff and then on to Ipswich.

Now, of course, he is operating at the rarefied level of a European final. He has no fears about the challenge, even if it involves a penalty shoot-out. "If that is what it takes to win, we will be prepared to do that. I will be up for it and go into it with every confidence," he said. The backroom staff research the opposition penalty takers and Alexander will be given this information before the final.

He said: "I always go into a shoot-out with the attitude that if I can only save one that could be the most important one. I am very relaxed.

I am very confident. As a goalkeeper, you can't really be a loser, you can only be the hero. They shouldn't miss. You shouldn't really save any. But if you do save any, it is a bonus. I am very confident on penalties at the moment."

He added: "Hopefully, I can grab the chance with both hands." It is something he has done with conspicuous success already this season.