After two successive failed attempts to hold aloft the Scottish Premier League trophy, Rangers look handily placed to bring that run to an end.

Under the inspired guidance of Walter Smith, who’s star could hardly burn any brighter in Glasgow given his amazing record in his previous stint as boss (which brought an incredible seven championships to Ibrox), the 'Gers have brushed aside Gordon Strachan's Celtic and are currently holding the upper hand in this season’s title race.

But can they finish the job?

'Maybe it’s better for Walter Smith’s side to have a realistic shot the UEFA Cup trophy as opposed to a knock-out blow in the Champions League'


Currently four points to the good, Rangers look in imperious form, with eight wins and a draw in the nine games since that sorry defeat at the hands of Lyon in the vital Champions League decider. Defeat on that night must have been a crushing blow for the Rangers faithful, but it’s not all doom and gloom. The team showed their mettle in the group stages of that competition and, simply put, a lack of big game experience and a severe case of nerves cost them dear on that December night. But it could have been a blessing in disguise.

Maybe it’s better for Walter Smith’s side to have a realistic shot the UEFA Cup trophy as opposed to a knock-out blow in the Champions League. One thing is for sure though, and that is that it is well within the club's capabilities to triumph in Europe for the first time in 35 years. The field is quite strong, but Barry Ferguson and his resilient squad have no reason to be overawed by the other European hopefuls.

Recent weeks have led to much speculation that a few of the Ibrox players are wanted by teams south of the border. That is good for the Scottish game as it shows that the SPL is stronger than it has been for several years. It’s a cliché of course, but the players at Smith’s disposal are a good mix of youth and experience, and under the impressive leadership of the boss and his excellent back room staff they have every chance of success.

There are some tricky fixtures to come, but the key players are on top form at present. Lee McCullough has been excellent since his return after a month out. Kris Boyd is back to his prolific best, Steven Whittaker was awesome in the 4-0 drubbing of St Mirren. At the back, David Weir has been a rock, and keeper Allan McGregor has been solid.

All in all, things couldn’t be much better for the blue half of Glasgow. Come May, their admiring and loyal supporters could be cheering twice as hard as they celebrate a League and Euro double.