Glasgow: Rangers will step into uncharted territory on Saturday as they kick off their first ever league campaign outside the top flight of Scottish football with a visit to Peterhead.
It caps a humiliating fall from grace for the country’s most successful club, who were relaunched as a new company, or newco, in June after the old company couldn’t be saved from liquidation.
It will be the Ibrox club’s debut in Scottish football’s lowest tier after they were voted into the Third Division following their failed bid to get back into the Scottish Premier League.
The Glasgow giants are overwhelming favourites to stroll to automatic promotion ahead of their part-time and amateur opponents in the league.
But first team coach Ian Durrant, who has experience of Peterhead’s Balmoor Stadium from his former role as Rangers’ reserve coach, knows the game will be a tricky test for the Ibrox men.
“It will be a bit of a shock to some of the players and it will be tough for us at Peterhead,” Durrant said.
“Some of the small stadiums we’ll have to go to will be different but we know what league we’re in and we’re just focused on getting up and running.
“We’ve just got to get on with our task now. We won’t win every game and our opposition will be playing cup finals against us.
“It’ll be a great atmosphere this weekend. There’s a great playing surface there too. It’s a great wee ground and it will be packed to the rafters.”
In recent weeks Rangers have had to cope with a mass exodus of first team players but Gers gaffer Ally McCoist has managed to bring in experienced players such as Kevin Kyle, Ian Black, Dean Shiels, Brazilian Emilson Cribari and Francisco Sandaza to strengthen his squad ahead of a one-year transfer ban in September.
And Durrant says manager McCoist is building a squad that can try and win every competition they are in this season.
“The new players have been over the course before and they’ll all be great additions to the club,” Durrant said.
“We know every game will be tough but we’re confident enough with the calibre of players we’ve got that we’ll get there.
“Our aim is to win the Third Division, the Ramsdens Cup, the League Cup and the Scottish Cup. Everything we’re involved in, we want to win.”
Elsewhere, in the Scottish Premier League, champions Celtic are not in action due to a friendly against Spanish giants Real Madrid.
The weekend’s biggest game is Sunday’s Edinburgh derby when Hibernian host Hearts at Easter Road.
Hearts, who are unbeaten in their past 11 matchs against Hibs including last season’s 5-1 Scottish Cup final win, could top the table with victory against their city rivals and manager John McGlynn is excited at the prospect.
“I’ve had many Edinburgh derbies as youth team coach, reserve coach and caretaker,” he said.
“I’m no stranger to them and as far as I can remember I have a reasonably good record in most of them. I understand what it means to the fans and we will certainly try to keep our unbeaten run going.
“We are full of confidence so we have to make sure we are not complacent in any way, shape or form and that we go down there and are very professional and very determined and that is the way we intend the team to go out and play.”
