'Boozegate' now behind contented Allan McGregor

ALLAN McGregor insists his "Boozegate" nightmare is firmly in the past after making his comeback for Scotland last week.

The Rangers goalkeeper was initially banned from the national team, along with then Ibrox team-mate Barry Ferguson, last April following the now infamous drinking session at the team hotel.

However, new Scotland manager Craig Levein paved the way for his dramatic return after replacing George Burley at the helm and McGregor found himself back in the fold quicker than anticipated as a result of Craig Gordon's injury.

The Scots slumped to a 3-0 defeat to Sweden in a friendly last Wednesday but McGregor's own performance proved to be one of the few highlights and he is now hoping to have a bigger role to play in the future.

He told Rangers News: "I was obviously disappointed with the result in Sweden but I was happy to be back in the team and playing for my country again. It was great that Craig Levein wanted me back.

"Everything that's happened in the past is dead and buried now and I'm just pleased to be part of it all once more.

"I'm looking forward to the qualifying campaign. I don't know if Craig Gordon will miss the second pair of games in October but hopefully there's an opportunity for me to play.

"I'm not bothered about me though - I just hope the team does well and we win both games. If I can play a part in that, I'd be glad to."

Meanwhile, Rapid Vienna - who play Aston Villa for a second successive season in the Europa League tonight - have given their version of the Nikica Jelavic transfer saga, which has been a source of great frustration at Ibrox in recent weeks.

Jelavic scored both goals in the 2-2 aggregate draw with Villa last season, and is a key player for the Austrian outfit in the first leg of the play-off round tonight.

Jelavic has been pursued by Rangers all summer and this week the SPL champions made a further move to prise away the Croatian, only to be rebuffed.

Rapid Vienna sports director Alfred Hortnagl said: "Rangers made an approach and we held talks, only for them to pull out of any deal last week as they told us they were signing another player (James Beattie).

"Jelavic accepted this and promised full commitment to us. For us the matter was done, but then Rangers came back in for him earlier this week.

"But we cannot let go such an important player a few days before such an important match. At this time we cannot agree to this transfer."

Pacult goes into the game against Villa with only one player definitely out in Norwegian defender Ragnvald Soma who has a thigh injury.