Rangers midfielder Kyle Hutton fighting for future

Kyle Hutton tries to fend off Stenhousemuir's Sean Dickson at Ochilview yesterday. Picture: SNS

The 23-year-old, who played the full 90 minutes as goals from Steven Smith, Dean Shiels, Lee McCulloch and Nicky Law secured a 4-0 victory over Stenhousemuir on Saturday, is out of contract in the summer.

The win moved Rangers to 33 League One games unbeaten in this campaign, with just matches against Ayr United, Stanraer and Dunfermline now remaining.

Hutton’s appearance at Ochilview was just his second league start of a season heavily disrupted by injuries and a struggle to gain regular selection from manager Ally McCoist.

“This is the last year of my contract so I am basically fighting for a deal,” he said.

“So obviously in the remaining games if I get my chance I need to go out and show the gaffer that I’m up to having a new deal.

“Hopefully I can do that in the next few games - I will be totally focused. My agent has spoken to the manager so I will just need to see what happens. I just need to keep performing well.

“I’m not sure when it will be sorted out. If I knew I would say, but I have got no idea. Obviously there is stuff going on in the background so you need to wait until all that is sorted out so all I am concentrating on is trying to play well on the pitch and showing him that I’m worth a new deal.

“I would like to get it sorted out before I go away anywhere in the summer, but I’ll just have to wait and see.

“Obviously you are conscious of it, it is your job and I love being here at Rangers, but as soon as I go out on that pitch it goes right out my head and I just concentrate on my football. I just need to totally focus and keep playing to prove myself to the gaffer.”

Hutton said it has taken him time to recapture full fitness after two separate long-term injury absences, but was delighted with the way Rangers played against Stenhousemuir.

He said: “Touch wood I am over the injury problems I’ve had. It has obviously been a tough season injury wise. I had a broken right leg and I tore my tendons in my left leg so it has been a really bad season for me personally.

“I’m just getting my touch and match fitness back so hopefully I can kick on now.

“It was really satisfying here. I thought we produced a performance and scoring all the goals we did gives us a lot of confidence for the remaining games.

“We gave the fans what they want. We know they want goals and a certain level of performance and we try to show that every single week. We had some freedom to play and went out and exploited that, scoring some good goals. Hopefully we can put in more performances like that one.”