The former Kilmarnock defender had fulfilled a childhood ambition by becoming a professional footballer, but it wasn't until he walked out at Ibrox in front of a capacity crowd that the reality truly hit home.

The Killie cult hero was only weeks into his first season in Scotland when Jim Jefferies' side travelled to face Rangers in August 2008. Kilmarnock arrived level on points with the Gers after taking seven points from their opening three matches, and Pascali was preparing for one of the biggest tests of his career.

Yet while the day would provide plenty of lessons on the pitch, it also delivered a memory he has never forgotten.

Speaking on The Table podcast, Pascali said: "My first memory is that of Ibrox. My first year in Scotland we played Rangers in week four, we went into the game top alongside them because we'd taken seven points from the first three games.

"The crazy thing about Scottish football, well it's the same in England but compared to Italy, is that the stadium fills up at the last minute. You go out for the warm-up and it's empty, then when you come back out the stadium is full.

"When I went to that stadium, where before it they're playing Simply The Best and the fireworks are going off, when I went out for the warm-up and was walking around I looked and I said: 'I did it'. That's when I truly realised I had made it.

"So to walk out in front of 60,000 I was smiling, I wasn't the type to say something like, 'Oh God, what's happening today?' I was actually smiling. I was thinking, 'Where the f*** are they?'

Pascali's excitement wasn't diminished by the challenge that lay ahead. In only one of the first occasions he had been used as a defender, he found himself up against Rangers favourite Nacho Novo.

Killie stunned the hosts by taking the lead and looked on course for a famous result. But the turning point came when Novo used all his experience to win a penalty from the Italian.

Pascali recalled: "We actually played a great game. I played as a defender for one of the first times in my career.

"I was up against Nacho Novo who is one of those who has made his mark on Scottish football, a bit of a Rangers legend, and he sucked me in. He was more sly than me and won a classic striker's penalty where I've come in for the challenge and put my arm across, he collapses and all of Ibrox is screaming for it.

"We were winning 1-0 by the way, then in five minutes I don't know what happened. I gave away the penalty, it's a goal and the whole stadium is on its feet. Then they quickly got a second and we lost."

Kris Boyd struck twice as Rangers came from behind to win, but the result did little to dampen Pascali's emotions.

If anything, the experience reinforced everything he had worked for.

He added: "But that was the day I said: 'F***, I've fulfilled my dream here.'"