Rangers assistant manager Ally McCoist will be rewarded with the post full time if he helps current incumbent Walter Smith regularly win the SPL ahead of Celtic. Chairman Sir David Murray has revealed that while there is currently no formal agreement for McCoist to succeed Smith, it is his intention to appoint the former Gers player if the current management team prove successful.

"I would have thought, all things being equal, that he will become manager," said Murray, who celebrates the 20th anniversary of his acquisition of Rangers this weekend.

"I hope he gets it. It hasn't been talked about, but it is an understanding among us.

"Walter and I discussed it when he came back, that McCoist would come in, hopefully we would get back to a successful period and then he would get the chance.

"It will be success driven. If we are successful, if Walter is successful then the natural successor would be McCoist. But if we go another two or three years without winning the league then we will all be under pressure."

Arch-rivals Celtic have won the championship for three straight seasons.