Rangers Football Club

CHAMPIONSHIP-winning Ally McCoist has been named as the SFL Third Division Manager of the Year this evening. The Light Blues boss led his team to the title in the clubâ??s first ever season outside the top flight by a convincing margin of 24 points from second-place Peterhead. And although he was widely expected to deliver the silverware with comfort, he has still been chosen as the best coach in the bottom tier. McCoistâ??s award was presented tonight at the Irn-Bru SFL End of Season Awards at the Old Fruitmarket in Glasgowâ??s Merchant City. The 50-year-old is currently in America as he prepares to take part in a white-water rafting challenge on behalf of the Rangers Charity Foundation. That starts this Sunday and you can sponsor the manager as he bids to raise £10,000 by clicking HERE now. With McCoist out of the country, Director of Youth Development Jim Sinclair was present to collect the prize on his behalf. Head of Football Administration Andrew Dickson and Director Ian Hart were there too with Director of Marketing Irene Munro and Academy Operations Manager Craig Mulholland. Read more on the official site...

CAMMY BELL believes that by moving to Rangers he has given himself a chance of lifting more silverware and that the club is well placed to build on their SFL3 title-winning success in 2012/13. Bell, a League Cup winner with Kilmarnock in 2012, knows all about the demands and expectations that come with being a Ger but the ambitious 26-year-old wants to write his name in the history books like so many great Ibrox goalkeepers before him. Having already played in the SPL with Killie, the First Division with Queen of the South and the Third Division with Montrose Cammy is fully aware that life in Scottish footballâ??s lower leagues is far from easy. However, he is confident that with a few new faces expected to join Ally McCoistâ??s squad this summer Rangers will be in a great position to continue their ascent back to the top. The Scotland international and lifelong Bluenose said: â??I spoke to the manager and said to him that the Second Division is the only division Iâ??ve not played in. â??Iâ??ve played in the First on loan and the Third on loan so I know exactly what Iâ??m walking into and Iâ??m walking in with my eyes wide open. â??I completely understand the situation with the club and I know where they are at this moment. â??Itâ??s going to be two difficult years to get back to the top and the leagues arenâ??t as bad as everyone says they are. â??Iâ??ve been there myself and they can be difficult but itâ??s something the club needs to go through and I want to be part of the journey getting Rangers back up to the SPL and in Europe where they belong.â? Bell, of course, was in goals for Kilmarnock on the day Rangers last won the SPL title at Rugby Park on May 15, 2011. The Light Blues produced a scintillating display to win 5-1 and although disappointed to be on the losing side Cammy could not help but be impressed with the way Walter Smithâ??s men went about their business on what proved to be an unforgettable afternoon in Ayrshire. The talented shotstopper was at Ibrox today having a agreed a four-year deal with the club and hopes he can be on the winning side when Rangers add to their impressive championship tally in the future. He added: â??That day was disappointing for me but Rangers had to do it and the pressure was on them. They showed how good a team they were. â??It wasnâ??t the fact we were really bad it was just how good Rangers were and that was the best I had seen anyone play that season. â??All the pressure was on but it just showed how a club of this size can handle that and can go on to be successful. Everyone is hungry to be successful at this club. â??I think you need that in yourself to come here and you have to want to win trophies. Thatâ??s what I want to do. â??I had a small snippet of it at Kilmarnock when we won the League Cup which was great occasion for me and for the club. â??But I want to come here and win trophies and I know I have come to the right club to do that. â??Itâ??s going to be a tough couple of years but we will get there and will be back at the top soon.â? Read more on the official site...

CAMMY BELL has expressed his pride and joy after agreeing a four-year deal with Rangers and he admits the move to his boyhood heroes is a dream come true. The 26-year-old shotstopper is a lifelong Bluenose and after months of speculation he was finally unveiled as the latest addition to Ally McCoistâ??s squad at Ibrox Stadium today.* As the Scotland international walked down the famous tunnel and onto the hallowed turf it would have been impossible to wipe the broad smile from his face and after a decade at Kilmarnock he is relishing a new and exciting challenge at an important stage of his career. Bell will not be registered until September 1 but he canâ??t wait to meet up with his new teammates for pre-season training at Murray Park at the end of June as preparations begin for stage 2 of the journey back to the top of the Scottish game. He said: â??Itâ??s been a long time coming for me. Itâ??s great just to be here at a club of this size and a club Iâ??ve always followed a youngster. Itâ??s just a dream come true really. â??I think Iâ??ve got enough experience now. Iâ??ve played for a few years in the SPL and Iâ??ve got that behind me. â??I needed to do that before I moved on and I had opportunities to move before now, it wasn't right though as I needed a bit longer. "I think now is the right time for me to step on and itâ??s a no brainer, it didnâ??t take me long to make the decision. â??I got a phone call from my agent who told me Rangers were going to offer me a contract. He also said another team was going to offer me a contract down south and they wanted me to go down the next day. â??I said â??no, forget itâ?? as I wanted to go to Rangers and that was it, I had made my decision. â??That was the club I wanted to go to and I know Iâ??ve made the right decision. â??Theyâ??ve got all the facilities you need, the fans, the whole package. â??Itâ??s a massive club and itâ??s one of the biggest clubs in Europe so there was no way I was going to turn down the chance to be a Rangers player.â? Bell, of course, has already sampled the Ibrox atmosphere during his 10-year spell at Killie but knows playing in front of a full house wearing a Rangers jersey will be an altogether different experience. He added: â??Totally. To run out in front of 50,000 fans will be an amazing feeling and hopefully I can prove to the fans that I can be a Rangers number 1. Thatâ??s my first job is to go out and prove to people that Iâ??m good enough to be here.â? Read more on the official site...

NEIL ALEXANDER insists he remains hopeful he can still be at Rangers next season despite the fact his current deal is about to end. The goalkeeper played what could have been his last game for the club last Saturday in the 1-0 win against Berwick at Ibrox. Keeping his 22nd competitive clean sheet of the campaign, the 35-year-old completed a full season between the posts in which he played every minute of the teamâ??s 47 matches. Alexander has been a steady influence in goal for Gers over the last nine months or so as he has finally got his chance to be the teamâ??s first-choice option in that department. And although contract talks have stalled for a number of weeks, he wants to continue his stay at Ibrox rather than move on after five and a half years in Glasgow. Things havenâ??t changed in terms of the offer made to Alexander. While he wants a two-year deal, he has only been presented with one additional season so far. The former Cardiff City player will now look to talk to the clubâ??s hierarchy again through his agent again to see if the issue can be resolved. Working in his favour is the fact manager Ally McCoist wants to keep him as his preference is to have two experienced players competing for the number one shirt next term. Alexander said: â??It was quite emotional for me after the game at the weekend as I knew it could be my last at Rangers. â??Things are exactly as theyâ??ve always been. The offer to me is still on the table and that offer was made in February. â??I need to go away think about it and whatâ??s best both for my family and myself but Iâ??m desperate to stay. â??I like it a lot here and weâ??ll see what happens in the next week or so. If anything can be resolved or changed that would be great.â? Alexander fell just short of 100 appearances for the club after signing from Ipswich in January 2008. But he was able to play in some monumental games including the UEFA Cup final against Zenit St Petersburg in Manchester just four months later. He was also on the pitch for a Scottish Cup final win over Queen of the South 10 days later as well as the game against Falkirk in which the trophy was retained a year after that. Alexander played in two memorable League Cup final successes too, the 1-0 win against St Mirren with nine men in 2010 and the 2-1 extra-time triumph against Celtic two years ago. If he canâ??t reach agreement and strike a deal to stay with the 54-times Scottish champions, the former Scotland cap will still take comfort from what he did in his time in Govan. Alexander added: â??I canâ??t complain really. Iâ??ve had five and a half fantastic years here and Iâ??ve been very fortunate to win a lot of medals. â??Iâ??ve been involved in a lot of big games and big finals in the UEFA Cup, the League Cup and the Scottish Cup. â??Iâ??ve always said I was very proud and privileged to have played at this club and it has been a great honour. â??If it turns out I am going to move on this summer, I can do so with some great memories and my head held high.â? Read more on the official site...

BILLY KIRKWOOD admits his reserves needed some lucky breaks to beat Morton but praised his youngsters for the way they dug out victory. The Light Blues were 3-0 winners in their Reserve League Cup tie at Murray Park courtesy of goals from Jamie Burrows and Ben Reilly as well as Matty Clarkeâ??s penalty. In truth, the final outcome flattered Gers a little as their opponents probably created more opportunities and pressed for much of the game. That made victory even sweeter for coach Kirkwood, who felt his young side deserved credit for coming out on top. He said: â??I think there have been loads of games where the lads have got what theyâ??ve deserved out of the game. â??Tonight they could maybe have played a wee bit better but their work-rate was absolutely fantastic and I couldnâ??t fault one of them for that. â??They got a wee break when they got their penalty. It was soft but I think it was the correct decision. â??That came just after Morton had hit the post and to be fair to them, I thought they put us under pressure right from kick-off with the way they played the game. â??Scoring our second from the spot gave us a wee bit of breathing space but it wasnâ??t until the third went in late on we felt comfortable. â??For that group to have got two victories in three days the way they did is testament to them. They got a break or two but they did really well and deserved to win for their sheer effort.â? Morton lined up with experienced forward Peter Weatherston in attack but Kirkwood was happy with the way his defenders coped with him. And he cited that particular situation as a reason why itâ??s good for so many of the emerging talents at Auchenhowie to be taking part in these sorts of games. Kirkwood added: â??I think our lads would benefit from that kind of thing more often and they need to be playing at that sort of tempo. â??Itâ??s great for the academy. Weâ??ve rotated the same lads and for them to have played the way they have has been terrific. Theyâ??re learning how to win against tough opponents. â??Tonight you saw the centre-halves playing against Weatherston and I thought Luca Gasparotto, Jordan Wilson and Craig Halkett all did a good job there.â? Read more on the official site...

WALTER SMITH has insisted that Ally McCoist has not been given the credit he deserves for winning the SFL3 title this season in the extraordinary circumstances that Rangers have found themselves in. And the legendary former manager has also backed the contributions of Kenny McDowall and Ian Durrant, who were the subject of a back-page story this week which claimed their jobs were in jeopardy. Smith, of course, hired all three men when he returned to Rangers in 2007 and he has nothing but admiration for the work McCoist has done. He said: â??I donâ??t think he has had the credit he deserves for winning the Third Division when you consider where the club were at the start of the season. â??I donâ??t think there has ever been a more shambolic pre-season for any club going into a season especially a club like this where the expectation is so great and the expectation was that they would win the league. â??Bookmakers were saying Rangers would win every game but if you see the way the coaches and the teams operate in the Third Division, they have set themselves up well and gone about their business well added to the fact that the players raise their game when they play Rangers. â??If you start off the season with people saying you are going to win every match you are going to fall down in their expectations. â??While Scottish football is criticised for its levels Iâ??ve got to say that against Rangers I have been impressed with the way the other teams have operated. Whether itâ??s the same against the other teams you will have to ask them. â??Itâ??s been far more difficult that many imagined it would be and I think Rangers and Alistair in particular deserve credit considering there were a lot of new players and they had to learn about the expectation levels. â??Hopefully we will see a more settled Rangers team next season. â??if you look over the two years since I left I donâ??t think any manager has had to handle what Alistair has had to handle. â??He has had a lot to contend with and I donâ??t think can say that hasnâ??t handled it extremely well.â? One paper reported that McCoist has been asked to sack McDowall and Durrant and that has perturbed Smith. He said: â??I donâ??t know anything about the reports. Iâ??m not privy to the background on that. â??As far as the boys are concerned, I brought Kenny from Celtic and I took Ian Durrant into the first team coaching position. â??We had a terrific run of success and as any manager will tell you, your backroom staff are an important factor especially when I was at the stage where I was getting into my 60s and you start to pass on a bit of the daily work onto your colleagues. â??They did a fantastic job for me so I was a little bit disappointed to read what I did.â? Read more on the official site...

RANGERS is investing in the installation of two new state-of-the-art giant screens which will enhance the matchday experience and continue to make Ibrox one of the worldâ??s leading venues. In the next few weeks the existing screens in the corners of the Govan Stand will be replaced by new giant screens measuring 72m2, 40% larger than the existing Jumbotrons, and among the largest screens in UK football.* This will mean enhanced viewing along with a fan experience module for fans at future games.* Only one of the old screens will be operational at Wednesdayâ??s game against Linfield on Wednesday, 10 April as the changes take place. * The first new screen will be operational at the Clyde game on Saturday, April 13 with both screens scheduled to be in place before the end of the season. CLICK HERE FOR LINFIELD TICKET INFORMATION Read more on the official site...

ALLY McCOIST intends to talk terms with his out-of-contract players over the next fortnight, including scorer Kane Hemmings after his goal against Queenâ??s Park today. The striker grabbed his first competitive counter for the club as a substitute in the second half of the 4-1 win over the Spiders at Hampden. Hemmings turns 21 tomorrow and would love to celebrate his birthday with a new deal as well as that debut strike. The forward has been keen to prove himself with his current contract expiring at the end of the season. And after netting four times in a recent loan spell at Cowdenbeath, getting a fifth of the season at the National Stadium will only enhance his claim for an extended stay at Ibrox. There are others whose current terms expire in the next few weeks at the club such as versatile midfielder Andy Mitchell. And with the Third Division now won, McCoist is keen to tie down players he currently has at his disposal before he sets about getting new ones in to compliment them. The manager said: â??Weâ??re going to sit down with a lot of the boys over the next couple of weeks, of that there is no doubt. â??There is a lot of work to be done and we want to take the club forward and we know what is required. â??We need to bring bodies in and also keep a lot of the bodies we already have here. Weâ??ve a lot to do but weâ??re looking forward to that.â? The only negative for Hemmings today was that he had to be replaced in the closing moments by Kal Naismith after he suffered a pulled hamstring. Anestis Argyriou was also injured and he appeared to struggle whilst playing on after he hurt his ankle during the match. Ross Perry is another who remains sidelined after he suffered a new hamstring problem at training yesterday on the other leg from the one which has kept him out recently. McCoist sighed: â??My only problem with today is that weâ??ve picked up another two injuries and thatâ??s far from ideal. â??It looks as though Kane has a hamstring problem and we had to bring him off just before the end, while Argy has a knock too. â??Ross was meant to be playing today but he pulled his other hamstring when we were doing a little bit of shape work yesterday. â??I donâ??t know what our team is going to be for the next couple of weeks but weâ??re really short of bodies again.â? Read more on the official site...

CHARLES Green and Ally McCoist today released the following statements: Charles Green said: "I spoke with Ally McCoist today and we are agreed that despite the wild and outlandish allegations tossed around by Craig Whyte, the one thing that matters most is the rebuilding of this Club. "I am totally committed to that and Ally is exactly the same. Neither of us will be deflected from our task. We share the same goal and we will be successful no matter who or what attempts to get in our way. "I made it absolutely clear to Ally that there was never any possibility of Whyte returning to Ibrox and I also stressed that this man has no claim on any of the Clubâ??s shares or assets. "I could have waited until after the Queenâ??s Park match at Hampden tomorrow but I met with Ally today. I wanted to make sure he understood what Whyte is trying to do because, like every other fan, our manager has a right to know if the disgraced former owner still has any involvement in this Club. "I told Ally that is not the case and that there was never any possibility of Whyte being involved with my group. "Ally knows and accepts that I cannot be held responsible for Whyteâ??s ramblings or his ridiculous claims. But Ally is a fan and he would have been alarmed at the re-emergence of Whyte and his claims. "Along with all the good and loyal Rangers fans Ally has lived through the brief but calamitous Whyte era and the very mention of this man's name is enough to have even the strongest of them concerned. But there is no need for any anxiety. "Rangers FC, no part of it and none of the assets will ever fall into Whyte's hands. If I have to I will stand at the front door and deny him entry. "I can guarantee every single fan that I will not let them down and that Whyte has no claim on any part of this great Club. "I have told Ally that and I have told him the truth of the matter, just as I have always done. He knows what we are doing and where we want to take this huge Club and Rangers FC will return to the very top. "Whyte will have nothing to do with that and he will never benefit from it either. That is an absolute fact and I just wish the media would stop pandering to a man who is clearly out of touch with reality." Ally McCoist said: "Yes we spoke and Iâ??m glad we did. I never believed that Charles had entered into any kind of agreement but it was important to have a chat after what the former owner had been putting about in the papers. "I am a fan and it would be devastating to have this man back anywhere near the Club he almost destroyed." Read more on the official site...

RANGERS face*Linfield*at Ibrox*next*Wednesday, 10 April, with kick-off at 7.15pm. The IFA Premiership champions hosted Ally McCoistâ??s first-team squad in Belfast last May and 7,000 supporters turned out at Windsor Park to witness a 2-0 victory for the Light Blues. Now, David Jeffreyâ??s side head to Glasgow for the first time to face the Light Blues on home soil and another fantastic*crowd is expected. The Light Blues have a fine record in recent fixtures against Linfield, with a 2-0 victory in 2002 kicking off a comprehensive run of wins. A 3-0 victory was achieved in 2003 and was followed by consecutive 2-0 wins in 2005 and 2006. Rangers won 4-1 in Belfast in July 2011 and Barrie McKay was on target in a 2-0 Rangers win last May in the match that helped raise money for the club during administration. Tickets are on sale now priced at*£15 for adults, £10 for concessions and just £5 for kids.* Click here to buy online, call 0871 702 1972 or visit Rangers Ticket Centre. Fans travelling from Northern Ireland can purchases packages through Stenaline*by clicking here. Rangers Chief Executive Charles Green said: â??I know Rangers have enjoyed a strong relationship with Linfield and they deserve great credit for helping this club out during the difficult days of administration last year. â??Many fans from Northern Ireland take the time and effort to visit Ibrox Stadium every time we have a game and we are delighted to host Linfield as a thank you for the kindness they showed us last May. â??I am sure our supporters will turn out in force at Ibrox yet again and I look forward to meeting Linfieldâ??s directors, management team and players in Glasgow.â? Rangers Manager McCoist added: â??Linfield offered the hand of friendship to Rangers last May and we are delighted to thank them for their support by announcing this game at Ibrox. â??The club has a strong following from Northern Ireland and our supporters turned out in huge numbers to back us at Windsor Park last year in a match that really helped us out in difficult times. â??I look forward to meeting David Jeffrey and his squad at Ibrox and once again I would like to thank Linfield for the support they gave us last season. I have no doubt the fans will pack Ibrox yet again to see both teams in action.â? Linfield Chairman Jim Kerr said: â??Linfield has enjoyed a longstanding relationship with Rangers Football Club and we are thrilled to be playing them at Ibrox. â??We were delighted to assist Rangers with a match at Windsor Park last May and we are all looking forward to making the trip to Glasgow. "I am sure both sets of supporters will enjoy the fixture and there will be a huge crowd at Ibrox once again.â? * Read more on the official site...

RANGERS are the SFL Third Division champions after Queenâ??s Park lost at home today to Elgin City producing an unassailable gap at the top. The Light Blues suffered a stalemate at Montrose in the noon kick-off much to the frustration of all involved. However, that point at Links Park has proved to be enough to take Rangers over the line. Queenâ??s had to avoid defeat against Elgin to prolong things but they were defeated 1-0 by the Highlanders who scored courtesy of a Stuart Leslie penalty. And so phase one of the journey has now been completed although Rangers still donâ??t know where the second stage will begin. Ally McCoist and his squad learned of the success while travelling south back to Glasgow from the north-east. It will undoubtedly be a huge relief to them all that the main objective has now been achieved. It has been tough in the past month with consecutive goal-less draws and a shock home defeat by Annan Athletic. But the hard work done in the middle phase of the season has paid off at last for Rangers and the SFL 3 trophy is theirs. They wonâ??t get their hands on it, however, until the final home match of the season on May 4 when they face Berwick Rangers. COMING UP WE'LL HAVE EXCLUSIVE PHOTOGRAPHS AND REACTION TO THE TITLE WIN YOU WILL SEE EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEWS ON RANGERSTV TONIGHT Read more on the official site...

DAVID TEMPLETON feels a lack of experience in terms of winning prizes is costing Rangers as they make hard work of clinching the Third Division title. For the second week in a row, the Light Blues were held to a 0-0 draw as they failed to break down Montrose at Links Park this afternoon. They can still claim the crown later today, but only if Queenâ??s Park lose at Hampden Park to Elgin City. If Gardner Speirsâ?? men avoid defeat, the championship will stay alive until midweek at least when the Spiders come up against Berwick in a rearranged fixture. With five games still to go, Gers are a point closer to claiming the prize and the likelihood is they will finish top of the table. Indeed, they may already have more points than their closest challengers will gather over the course of 36 games. Nevertheless, they are struggling to finish the job and Templeton concedes the pressure to deliver is taking its toll. Many of the younger players in the squad are clearly still learning their trade and are getting their chance to play when they might not have otherwise. And Templeton said: â??Weâ??re trying to get over the finishing line but a lot of the boys have never won a title before, myself included. â??I think weâ??ve maybe not got that mentality yet of grinding out the results we need to get the title won. â??Weâ??ll need to improve next week and make sure we play a lot better so that we put on a good show for the fans and give them a title to celebrate. â??There are a lot of young boys here who had never played first-team football before this season. â??Having played 30-odd games by the end of the season, that will have helped them massively going into next year.â? Templeton was one of Rangersâ?? most prominent players in the opening 20 minutes or so, when they played their best football of the match in Angus. He was amongst those who had chances to score and he feels if one or two of the opportunities had gone in, the Light Blues would have gone on to win comfortably. Templeton added: â??At the start of the game we felt quite sharp and I thought we began quite well. I had a shot from distance I should probably have done better with. â??Lee Wallace had a good chance too and the keeper made a good save but we should probably have taken both of those opportunities. â??If we did that, weâ??d probably have on to score a few more but we went in drawing 0-0 at half-time and they then came out in the second half and had a go at us. â??I understand the fans are frustrated. They travel in their numbers and they obviously want to see good results. â??We basically didnâ??t play well enough in the second half and thatâ??s why they werenâ??t happy. Weâ??ve got to get ourselves sorted and play better so that we can get them smiling again.â? Read more on the official site...

ALLY McCOIST insists he understands the fansâ?? frustrations after Rangers were held to a goal-less draw for the second week running. It was another disappointment at Montrose following a stalemate with Stirling Albion last week. The manager reckons his side should have taken the lead in the early part of the match when they dominated and accepts that Ranges did not create enough in the second period. He said: â??I thought first 25 minutes was our best period of the game and thatâ??s when we could have and should have scored. â??We had some decent opportunities during this time but things went a bit flat after that. â??The positive thing is that it was our third clean sheet in a row but the disappointing aspect is that we did not create nearly enough in the second half. â??We effectively had three up front with Templeton and Crawford playing wide of Hemmings but they ended up a bit deep at times. â??We do have the option of putting Lee McCulloch up front but he settles us down at the back and Emilson looks a lot more comfortable as does Chris Hegarty. â??We really donâ??t have two strikers at the moment because I donâ??t think Kal Naismith is an out and out striker and we obviously have the problem with Fran Sandaza while Kevin Kyle has left us and Andy Little is injured. â??We just want to get over the line. Of course we wanted to win the game but that point might just win us the league. â??I can understand the frustration from everybody â?? and we are just as frustrated â?? but we can only play with the cards we have been dealt. â??Itâ??s a disappointment when you donâ??t get the results you want but thatâ??s when you have to work very hard to turn things around. â??We have had two goal-less draws which is disappointing but we are one point closer to the Championship.â? Read more on the official site...

ALLY McCOIST was frustrated after seeing his Rangers team fail to break down Stirling and admits his men were â??miles shortâ?? of the standards he expects them to reach. The Light Blues had plenty of the ball against the Binos and had a few chances to score but Albionâ??s opportunities were arguably more clear cut and they could have won themselves. That made for another angry reaction from supporters at the final whistle as referee Craig Thomson called time on the second 0-0 draw of the season. Gers did have a young team playing including seven players aged 22 or under, three of whom were playing under-19 football last term. Regardless, the manager feels his side should have been good enough to collect all three points and was disappointed it didnâ??t. McCoist said: â??I thought it was a disappointing 90 minutes for everybody, to be honest. Anybody who was watching it will agree it wasnâ??t a good game at all. â??From our point of view, we had our best chances to score in the early period of the game. Kane (Hemmings) had a couple and Lee (McCulloch) did too. â??After that, it was just a frustrating 90 minutes. There was an option where we could have moved Lee up front as heâ??s probably the only centre-forward we have on our books. â??But with the greatest of respect, he has made the defence look a bit more solid in the last couple of games and thatâ??s a positive, something I always look for. â??In terms of creating and taking chances, we were miles short of where we want to be this afternoon.â? Despite todayâ??s result, Gers are still possibly just one win from taking the title and that could happen at Montrose next week if Queenâ??s Park then fail to beat Elgin later that day. McCoist knows his men simply need to get the job done in that respect to ease pressure which is mounting all too rapidly on his side. He has been hindered by selection problems and that was the case again here but he still appreciates his players should have seen the job through. McCoist added: â??We just have to get over the line, thatâ??s what we need to do. I said at the start of the season we needed players and Iâ??m not going to change my tune on that. â??We had seven or eight players out today and that will tell you where we are. Iâ??ll probably go down in history as the only Rangers manager who struggled to fill a bench. â??Thatâ??s where the club is at the moment.*When you look at our squad, you can see that we are in desperate need of bodies. "Yesterday we looked at our youth players, not because they deserved an opportunity but because we needed to fill a jersey. â??We have to overcome that though, get over the line and win the title now. Thatâ??s what we set out to do at the start of the year. â??Once we have done that, we have to put together a team again which will win the next title, albeit we donâ??t know what one that will be. Nothing has changed.â? Read more on the official site...

TOMMY WILSON will head to the USA to take up a role with MLS side Philadelphia Union as he departs his position as the Light Blues' Reserve Coach. The 51-year-old guided the club's second string side to the Reserve League title last month as his final act in a seven year spell with Rangers. Wilson worked under Paul Le Guen, Walter Smith and Ally McCoist and admits that it was a difficult decision to leave the Light Blues. He said: "It's a wrench to leave Rangers. I was never good enough as a player to make it here, so to coach for the club was the next best thing. "I have enjoyed my seven years here and it has been a great experience for me to work with a club that I know is one of the biggest in the world. "I'm sure that played a part in Philadelphia Union's decision to recruit me because they recognise the demands that come with working in an environment where winning is expected at all levels. "The project they are working on is an exciting one and I am looking forward to being a part of that. "Both Philadelphia and Glasgow possess a hard-working mentality, and Iâ??m looking forward to using that attitude to help achieve Philadelphia's goal of becoming the leading academy in North America.â? Read more on the official site...

TOMMY WILSON believes Fran Sandaza and Kane Hemmings have given the Rangers management food for thought after they both scored for the swifts tonight. The Spaniard scored a first-half double before his English team-mate netted too prior to the break in the 3-0 Reserve League Cup win over Ayr United. Assistant manager Kenny McDowall watched the full 90 minutes at Auchenhowie and seemed impressed by the way the forward pairing linked up. Gers have struggled for striking options lately in the Third Division, with Andy Littleâ??s good form masking a lack of bodies in that department. Sandaza is now fully fit though after a string of minor injuries and Hemmings is available once more after a successful loan spell at Cowdenbeath, where he scored four goals. Club captain Lee McCulloch is back as well after eight weeks out with an ankle injury while Kal Naismith can play in attack and prefers playing through the middle. That means there are options in that department again â?? and Wilson thinks Sandaza and Hemmings are pushing as hard for places as anyone. He said: â??The two of them did well together. Theyâ??ve got goals in them and I said that to the boys before the game. â??Weâ??ve been playing with three midfield players, one up front and two wider ones lately but it was great tonight to play 4-4-2 because of the personnel we had. â??You could see why it was good to do that and Kenny was pleased with the strikers. He spoke to them at half-time and again at the end and he was happy. â??I keep saying thatâ??s what these games are for. We won which was great but the strikers impressed which was important. â??I thought Barrie McKay was excellent tonight as well and heâ??s another one who is knocking on the door for a first-team place.â? Rangersâ?? win this evening was relatively straightforward and having such a healthy cushion at the break made the second half a formality of sorts. Nevertheless, Wilson was pleased to see his side register a first League Cup win and it now has four points after two West Section games with five more to play. Wilson added: â??I think we scored some really good goals. We started well and created some good chances so we deserved to win. â??Unfortunately Franâ??s best goal of the night was disallowed and that decision looked really marginal. â??But if you consider our next three games are against Morton, Queenâ??s Park and Airdrie, it was vital we won this match. â??Theyâ??re the other three teams who were at the top of the league with us and itâ??s going to be a tough run of matches but weâ??ve made a decent start to the competition.â? Read more on the official site...

FRAN SANDAZA and Kane Hemmings both staked claims for striking slots in Ally McCoistâ??s first team as Rangers earned their first SFL Reserve League Cup win against Ayr. The forwards scored three goals between them in the first half of this tie at Murray Park, with the Spaniard having another disallowed which would have given him a hat-trick. Although there were no more after the restart, the hard work had been done with the attacking pair making a major contribution and the final 3-0 scorelines was certainly deserved. Having come back to draw 3-3 with Queen of the South in their opening West Section game last week, Gers are now making their mark in the eight-team group. Boss Tommy Wilson was severely restricted when selecting his side eight days ago due to the fact the senior side was facing Stirling that night. This time there were no such problems and the likes of Barrie McKay, Fraser Aird, Robbie Crawford and Sebastien Faure also featured in a straightforward victory. Rangers had gone 4-0 up after just 16 minutes when these sides met in the Reserve League at Auchenhowie back in October. That game had ended 7-2 to the hosts in the end and Ayr were clearly keen to avoid a repeat of that. They began much brighter this time and restricted the Light Blues early on, with Kane Hemmings having the only real chance but screwing well wide of the near post. Wilsonâ??s men settled though and it took a late tackle to stop Hemmings when he poured forward again before Crawfordâ??s stinging shot was held by keeper William Muir. The opener wasnâ??t far away though and after 20 minutes it was the reigning second-string champions who got it. Sandaza did well to dispossess defender Darren Brownlie and charged down the right channel before playing inside to Hemmings. His shot was again blocked but the rebound spun up in the air and he won the loose ball ahead of Muir. As it fell in front of goal, the chances are it would have gone in anyway before anyone could have cleared but Sandaza made sure by getting there first and tapping in. The former St Johnstone hitman thought he had made it 2-0 before the break after teaming up well with Hemmings once again. But following a thunderous finish from the ex-Tamworth hitmanâ??s cross, he turned to see the offside flag up and his effort didnâ??t stand. It wasnâ??t long before Sandaza did bag his second though and he doubled the advantage 10 minutes before the interval as he showed good feet and composure to finish well. Captain Andy Mitchell went close to a third shortly before the break with a firm drive but this time Muir held. There was little respite though as Hemmings got in on the act instead right on the stroke of half-time with a tap in after great running from Sandaza. He did really well initially to burst clear from two men but was crowded out as he surged into the box and it seemed any opportunity to score was gone. Sandaza persevered though and with the away defence in a tangle, he found space to square for Hemmings who had an open goal in front of him and he couldnâ??t miss. That made the second period a virtual formality but Aird almost got in on the act with a dipping attempt from 25 yards. Muir also saved well from Hemmings when he burst in on goal then got his hands to a flicked header from Sandaza. Luca Gasparotto was unfortunate to see his header go wide as Rangers continued to press â?? albeit without the same urgency â?? in the closing stages. And Crawford saw three attempts miss the target as the home team tried but failed to add to a lead it never looked like losing. RANGERS: Gallacher; Mitchell, Gasparotto, Faure, Clarke; McKay, Crawford, Murdoch, Aird; Hemmings, Sandaza. SUBS: Smith, Halkett, Burrows, Telfer. AYR: Muir, Hunter, Longridge, Murdoch, Brownlie, Wyllie, McCulloch, Esplin, McNeil, Roberts, Marenghi. SUBS: Shankland, Nisbet, Wardrope, Slooves.* Read more on the official site...

ALLY McCOIST is hopeful that injured stars Ross Perry and Lewis Macleod could be back in the top team before the end of the season. It was feared that neither Perry nor Macleod would feature again in this campaign â?? especially Macleod. Perry tore his hamstring two weeks ago but a scan has revealed it is not as bad as first feared and there is hope he could be back for the closing matches. Similarly Macleod suffered a knee ligament injury against Montrose on January 26 and it was felt his season was over. However, he is now back doing gym work and the talented midfield star is on the mend. McCoist said: â??The good news for everyone is that Lewis Macleod is coming along nicely, heâ??s got the brace off and when heâ??s doing a little bit of work in the gym he puts it back on again. â??Thatâ??s five weeks now and Ross Perryâ??s hamstring is also coming along.* â??I would be hopeful although I donâ??t want to put any specific time on it because it is important they come back fit, thatâ??s all that matters. â??But I must admit I would be very, very pleased if we can get them back in a Rangers jersey before the end of the season.â? WATCH THE MANAGER'S INTERVIEW NOW ON RANGERSTV Read more on the official site...

ALLY MCCCOIST has admitted Dundee United captain Jon Daly is â??one of a numberâ? of players he is interested in bringing to Rangers for the start of next season. The manager, speaking to RangersTV.tv at Murray Park this morning, has started planning for 2013/14 and the 30-year-old striker is someone who has caught his eye on numerous occasions. Dalyâ??s current deal at Tannadice runs out this summer which would allow Rangers to agree a pre-contract agreement before registering the player on September 1 when the clubâ??s SFA transfer embargo is lifted. McCoist, of course, respects that Daly is a key player for Jackie McNamaraâ??s Terrors but has confirmed his interest in the powerful forward.* He said: â??To be fair to the player and we have to be fair to the player heâ??s with another club at the moment. "All we are doing registering a note of interest in players and Jon is one of a number who are out of contract with their own clubs at the end of this season. Weâ??re just confirming that status with the clubs. â??There is nothing more to tell, nothing more to say but we are looking to bring players to the club and they have to be free transfers. We arenâ??t able to register them until September 1 but he is one of a number we are looking at. â??He ticks a lot of boxes but unfortunately at this moment in time he ticks them for Dundee United. Time will tell whether we keep our interest in players like John but we are certainly looking to strengthen the squad for next year, that goes without saying. â??We obviously canâ??t spend any money in the transfer market but as weâ??ve said on numerous occasions we can bring in free transfers and register them on September 1 with a view to strengthening the squad. â??Itâ??s not an ideal way to do it but we have to strengthen the squad in any way we can and thatâ??s one of the ways we can do it. â??Last year I actually went on record as saying pre-season was a bit of a shambles to be honest through no fault of the players or the staff I have to tell you. â??We had six players turn up for pre-season, we couldnâ??t play a game, we couldnâ??t go on tour and we had three tours cancelled, it was horrendous really. â??At least hopefully this time we can go on and win the league and we can get planning for the start of next season. â??Again that wonâ??t ideal with only being able to sign free transfers but at least we can get a good pre-season under our belts which is very, very important.â? You can watch the manager's full interview on RangersTV.tv tonight. Read more on the official site...

FANS who purchase tomorrowâ??s matchday programme will get a FREE DVD of 'The Rising: Rangers One Year On From Administration'. The Rising covers the extraordinary events from last spring to present day with exclusive contributions from Charles Green, Ally McCoist, Lee McCulloch, Neil Alexander, Ian Durrant and fans. The fascinating documentary has been a big hit with supporters so make sure you get this weekendâ??s programme to get your FREE DVD! Also in â??Readyâ?? Charles Green, Malcolm Murray and Ally McCoist reflect on yesterdayâ??s verdict from the SPL Commission. And there is an exclusive interview with man-of-the-moment Andy Little who recalls scoring a hat-trick against East Stirlingshire in Rangersâ?? first home fixture in the Third Division on August 18, 2012. The Ulsterman discusses playing in his current attacking role and the helpful tips and advice he has been receiving from his manager. Comedian Andy Cameron also looks at Littleâ??s attributes as a striker and believes he can blossom into a top marksman for club and country for years to come. In another first-team exclusive Kyle Hutton answers 20 questions in â??Up Close and Personalâ?? and we chat to the Shireâ??s Paul Quinn who scored from the penalty spot on his sideâ??s last visit to the Stadium. If thatâ??s not enough â??Readyâ?? was given access to the clubâ??s recent Legends Lunch and there are exclusive interviews and photos from the event which brought together Rangers greats from the 70s such as Derek Johnstone, Peter McCloy and Gordon Smith. Tommy Wilson also reflects on his sideâ??s title-winning success in the SFL Reserve League and the second string coach now hopes his side can complete a Double by lifting the Reserve League Cup. On top of all that we focus on the stunning career of strike star Andy Cunningham in the popular â??Centurionsâ?? series while captain Lee McCulloch gives his thoughts ahead of the big game. There is also a tricky quiz to test your football knowledge, a Kidsâ?? Zone â?? which includes a wordsearch and spot the difference â?? and Blueprint plus much, much more. Itâ??s all in this weekendâ??s bumper matchday programme, priced just £3. Donâ??t miss it!* Read more on the official site...

RANGERS Football Club today announced a new five-year kit deal with leading SportsLifestyle brand PUMA who will become the official supplier and licensee of replica merchandise for the club. The agreement which will commence at the start of Season 2013/14 will see Rangers wearing the PUMA brand on all of the club's team kit, replica kit, training wear and equipment. The partnership with PUMA complements the club's joint venture with retail giants Sports Direct. Rangers Chief Executive Charles Green commented: â??We are delighted to announce this partnership with PUMA, who are one of the worldâ??s iconic lifestyle brands. â??Rangers and PUMA are massive global brands and this relationship will undoubtedly improve the distribution of Club merchandise in the UK and overseas. â??PUMA are renowned for their technical innovation and expertise in product design and support systems and we look forward to enjoying a productive and successful partnership over the next five years.â? Tony Ward, Managing Director, PUMA UKIB, added: â??Rangers Football Club is an iconic club with a rich history. When the opportunity arose to develop a technical partnership with Rangers, we were delighted to reach agreement with the club. "We are extremely proud to be associated with the club, and look forward to providing technical and training wear for Rangers Football Club.â? Official Rangers Puma team merchandise will be available from the start of Season 2013/14 in the Rangers Megastore at Ibrox Stadium, PUMA outlets, Sports Direct stores throughout the UK, and online at www.rangers.co.uk, www.rangersmegastore.co.uk, www.puma.co.uk and www.sportsdirect.com. Read more on the official site...

TOM WALSH hopes the character he showed in yesterdayâ??s reserve draw with Queen of the South has caught the eye of Rangersâ?? first-team coaches. The young winger, only 16, had a great chance to level from the penalty spot with the Light Blues trailing 3-2 seven minutes from full-time but saw his kick saved. Remarkably, however, he responded by scoring a fine individual goal just 60 seconds later as he broke the offside trap, rounded the keeper and netted. That meant the hosts drew 3-3 at Murray Park in the first of seven sectional games they will play in the Reserve League Cup. Walsh is one of many emerging players to have made a good impression at the club this year and he made his first-team debut in the 2-0 win over Stirling Albion on December 8. In doing so, he became one of the youngest players ever to appear in a competitive game for the 54-times Scottish champions and he is highly rated by the Gers management. Walsh knows the vast majority of his action this term will come for the swifts and at under-17 level, where he is still eligible to play. That doesnâ??t stop him aiming high though and after Ian Durrant was at Auchenhowie to see the way he reacted so well, he hopes that has helped his cause. Walsh said: â??There werenâ??t many boys on the pitch at the time who are natural penalty takers but I was very disappointed to miss. â??Luckily I managed to make up for it a wee bit with my goal just after that and that was pleasing for me. â??Football is all about bouncing back and responding if you make a mistake and that was the best thing I could do in that situation. â??I was glad to do that and hopefully people notice that. Thatâ??s the aim and all I can do is keep performing well both at this level and in the under-17s. â??If responding to missing a penalty by scoring a goal is good, thatâ??s great and Iâ??m happy with that. â??A lot of this is still new to me and I know itâ??s going to take a while for me to get myself in the first team. â??There are a lot of good players in front of me at the club. I just need to work hard, keep playing well and hopefully score goals to catch the eye.â? Read more on the official site...

RANGERS travel to Forthbank tonight to take on Stirling Albion and RangersTV will be showing the match exclusively live wherever you are in the world. If you are having any problems with tonight's match, then have a look through our frequently asked questions below and click on the link most relevant to your issues: Can I watch on my TV? Do I need special software? Why am I seeing a spinning circle in the player? It's still not working, what else can I do? Why am I asked for a cookie? Can I watch on iOS (iPad, iPhone etc)? I'm having problems logging in I've lost my password How do I know if my payment was successful? How fast do payments go through? What time does the programme start tonight? How do I contact for more help? 1. Can I watch on my TV? No - RangersTV isn't currently available on terrestrial, cable or satellite television. Some supporters have had success connecting their laptop or mobile device to their television via HDMI or VGA cables. 2. Do I need special software? 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Another way is to close your browser and restart. 8. I have lost my Password To find out your password simply click here. 9. How do I know if my payment was successful? You will have received an email from WorldPay - make sure to check in your Spam email folder if you cannot see it straight away. 10. How fast do payments go through? We aim for payments to go through immediately, however payments do depend on Banks' or Building Society's time frames. To be absolutely sure to view a match, make sure you purchase it well before kick off. 11. What time does the programme start tonight? Tonight's pre-match programme with Lindsay Heron and Derek Johnstone will be live from half an hour before kick off (19:15 GMT) and the match kicks off at 19:45 with commentary from Bobby Russell and Tom Miller. 12. How do I contact for more help? If your problems are not resolved using this help page then you can contact RangersTV support directly on support@rangerstv.tv including your RangersTV username and/or user number to speed up the help process. You can read more help information and find out what your RangersTV user number and other details are by clicking here. Read more on the official site...

CHIEF EXECUTIVE Charles Green has been given the go ahead by fans representatives to progress the sale of naming rights of Ibrox. More than 300 supporters attended a fans forum at Ibrox last night which was addressed by Green and Newcastle United Managing Director Derek Llambias. Following a discussion on the potential commercial opportunities for the club through naming rights, fans gave the go ahead for Green to progress the issue but made clear that any renaming of the stadium should include Ibrox in the title. Green said: "I am very pleased and heartened by the supporters approach to this issue and we will take things forward as soon as possible." Read more on the official site...

RANGERS have agreed to provide training facilities for Italian giants Juventus when they visit Glasgow next week. The Turin team will play Celtic in the first leg of their round of 16 Champions League tie at Parkhead on Wednesday night. And after they arrive in the country at the start of the week, they will prepare for the game at Murray Park on Tuesday. Gers chief executive Charles Green and head of football administration Andrew Dickson met Bianconeri counterparts at the European Clubs Association conference in Qatar last week. While they were in Doha they agreed to let the Serie A side, currently top of their league by three points from Napoli, work at Auchenhowie. The Light Blues have been drawn to meet Juve twice before themselves in Europeâ??s premier club tournament in 1978 and 1995. On the first occasion, goals from Alex MacDonald and Gordon Smith gave the Scots a 2-0 win at Ibrox after a 1-0 first-leg loss in Italy to progress from round one. Juventus gained their revenge in style 17 years later though, winning 4-1 at the Stadio Delle Alpi with Richard Gough scoring for the visitors. They were even more comprehensive winners two weeks later as they scored four more goals without reply in Govan on their way to winning the trophy against Ajax in Rome. Sergio Porrini, who turned out for Juve back then, later went on to play for Rangers and won a Treble with the club under Dick Advocaat in 1999. Read more on the official site...