KYLE LAFFERTY has crossed them off day by day, week by week and month by month. He has now been able to mark the year.

That is how long it has been since the Northern Irishman last had a bet. It was a milestone he is rightly proud of, but he will take nothing for granted as he battles his demons.

The first step for Lafferty was admitting that he had a problem. The next was taking steps to solve an issue that could have spiralled out of control.

Lafferty took to Twitter last week to mark a date that will remain in his mind for the rest of his life. On September 11, he wrote: “Never thought I would ever see this day. It’s been 1 year today since the last time I placed a bet. I was in a dark place and lowest iv ever been and to come out off it and celebrate this achievement is amazing and Iv never been happier. 365 days”

Aside from when he got married to wife Vanessa and or when his daughter, Sienna, was born, it is arguably the most important he has had.

“It is just over a year now and back then when I was in the middle of things I would have taken a week off betting,” Lafferty said as he prepared for Rangers’ Europa League clash with Villarreal this evening.

“I have done a year now and it is a long road. At one of my meetings, one of the guys has done 35 years. I was trying to figure out why he had been there for 35 years and he said to me that he could flip and go back on it.

“It is going to be a long journey but I have got my family and friends around me so that is going to be the most important thing.”

It has been a summer to remember on and off the park for Lafferty as he has reached an important milestone and clinched a return to Rangers.

The 31-year-old finds himself content in life and in football. With little Sienna to look after, the one-time headline maker has a new outlook and perspective these days.

“Of course, I have got someone else’s life to look after now as well,” Lafferty said. “I want to give my daughter the best life possible.

“More at the start, maybe for the first two or three months, there were urges. But my wife has been a tremendous help along the way and my family as well. It is good to have people there to help me.

“It is always impressive to get to the year but there is no point doing a year if next month I have fallen back into it. I just want to take each day at a time and if I get to the second year then that is obviously another massive milestone.”

Having passed his one-year anniversary, Lafferty is now back taking each day as it comes as he keeps clean and keeps on the right road.

His tale could become one of inspiration for those that are troubled by addiction, either to gambling or another affliction. He takes those he hears at his meetings to heart, too.

“Some of the stories are frightening,” Lafferty said. “Some of the stories I relate to and some of them I just feel sorry for the people. It is where people that need help go and everyone has been brilliant with me. It is a good place to go.

“They have taken me in and treated me, from day one, like I am one of them. I am just a normal guy.”

In Villarreal this evening, Lafferty will be anything but a normal guy. Indeed, he will carry the hopes of Rangers on his shoulders.

With Alfredo Morelos suspended, the striker will lead the line for Steven Gerrard’s side as the Gers begin their Europa League campaign.

Lafferty failed to hit the net in continental competition during his first spell at Ibrox. Now that he is back in blue, he is determined to change that fact.

“I haven’t scored in European football and hopefully tonight would be a good start,” he said.

“I have played European football in Turkey and Italy and scored goals there.

“With the way I play, I feel it suits my game and hopefully if I get a chance tonight I can put it away.

“I think [Alfredo] is going to be a massive miss for us but it gives me an opportunity to go out and show the gaffer what I am capable of doing.”

It was on that ignominious night in Kaunas a decade ago – as Walter Smith’s side crashed out of the Champions League - that Lafferty made his debut for Rangers. It was a proud moment, but one to remember for all the wrong reasons.

He has played his part in helping the Light Blues return to group stage action once again as Gerrard has led Rangers to victories over Shkupi, Osijek, Maribor and Ufa.

And now one of his key summer signings has the chance to fire his boyhood heroes to what would be a remarkable victory on the continent.

Lafferty said: “We have been away from European football for a long time now and for a club of Rangers’ size and stature, I think this is where we belong.

“I think we are good enough to be in this competition, we have shown that to come from the first qualifying round to the groups.

“It is going to be hard and Villarreal are a good team, but we are good as well and we have got players in the team that can hurt any team. It is a game we are looking forward to.”