Walter Smith believes his coaches are just as deserving of new contracts as striker Kris Boyd. The Rangers boss and his backroom staff of Ally McCoist and Kenny McDowall are all now working without the security of a contract after their deals expired this week.

Smith said: "With the success the club has had over the last two or three years, you would have thought Ally McCoist and Kenny McDowall more than anyone else deserved a situation where they got a contract.

"For me, it's not a major factor, but for them, it's a big thing.

"It was a huge decision to make and they are the ones I feel for more than anything else because, under any other circumstances, they would surely have had an opportunity to get a new contract."

Reflecting on the last three years as he celebrates the anniversary of his return to the Ibrox helm, Smith said with a smile: "It's been interesting. We've had a lot of highs and we have had a few lows as well.

"I suppose, when we took over, we were something like 17 points behind Celtic and third in the league. We had to win our games to qualify for the Champions League.

"Then we had a turnaround in fortunes and had a tremendous season when we just lost out in the UEFA Cup final and the league on the last day of the season in what was a very congested end to the season.

"The next year, we lost to Kaunas (in Champions League qualifying), which was only to be expected when you come so far without really changing the overall foundation of the club.

"But there have been a lot of highs and I have thoroughly enjoyed it, it's been terrific. The one or two lows that we've had are still major disappointments but overall I've enjoyed the three years.

"It's been a bit of a challenge, especially in the current circumstances that we're in."