Neil Alexander too good to be stand-in for Rangers, says McCloy

NEIL Alexander will be rewarded for his patience and professionalism on Sunday when he lines up for Rangers in the Co-operative Insurance Cup final against St Mirren. Irrespective of his performance at Hampden, however, the goalkeeper faces immediate relegation back to the substitutes' bench as deputy to Allan McGregor.

It is a situation which earns Alexander sympathy from Peter McCloy, the man who made more appearances between the posts than any other goalkeeper in Rangers' history. McCloy, who faced his own battle for the No 1 jersey at Ibrox with Stewart Kennedy during a long playing career, believes Alexander is too good to be a stand-in. He also feels McGregor is approaching the point where a move away from Rangers will be in the best interests of all concerned unless the errant 28-year-old can curb his controversial off-the-field activities.

Either way, McCloy is of the opinion there can no longer be room for both McGregor and Alexander at Rangers beyond the current campaign. "I think something will happen at the end of the season, possibly with one of them leaving," said McCloy. "I don't know what Allan's thoughts are for the future, whether he wants to play somewhere else or not. Or whether Rangers would sell him because they have to.

"Allan had a lot to prove this season and I think if he had let Walter Smith down at all on the pitch, he would have been out. But I don't know what the club will think about it in the future, because they don't want to see those kind of headlines about one of their players all the time.

"My advice to him would be to stay out of the nightclubs. There are a lot of temptations for youngsters these days, but he is 28 now. He's not just a silly boy and he should be watching where he goes and whose company he keeps.

"It's all right people going out, but you don't want to get the type of headlines he is getting. You have to watch what you are doing in Glasgow. Artur Boruc at Celtic was a wee bit like that for a while, but seems to have settled down. Walter will be hoping Allan can do the same."

McCloy, right, was speaking at Hampden to promote Sunday's final for which Alexander, who has played in every round of the Co-operative Insurance Cup for Rangers this season, has already been assured of his place by Smith.

"Neil is too good to be on the bench at any club, especially at the age of 31," added McCloy. "He has to be playing every week. It is difficult one for him, because he has never let Rangers down when he has come into the team. It is up to Walter to decide who his number one is and he has gone for Allan McGregor, which has been proved right over the season. During my career, I was competing with Stewart Kennedy and the policy at that time was that whoever was in possession of the jersey kept it until they were injured. You just had to wait to get back in. But it is definitely harder for Neil with his situation where he knows Allan is the number one.

"If Allan does move on, then Rangers do have a ready made No 1 in Neil. There is also the financial situation at the club. Do they sell Allan if they get an offer of 4million or whatever?".

McCloy, who won four League Cup winners' medals with Rangers, was joined at Hampden yesterday by former St Mirren goalkeeper Campbell Money, who retains a special place in the Paisley club's folklore as part of their last major trophy winning team, lifting the Scottish Cup in 1987.

Money accepts that the odds are firmly stacked against Gus MacPherson's team on Sunday. "Like every St Mirren supporter, I'll go to the final in hope rather than expectation," said Money. "It's a huge task for them, there's no doubt about that.

"Every time I go out in Paisley, which is not every week incidentally, people constantly remind me of 1987. If the current team can win on Sunday, they will become heroes of the club forever.

"For the Old Firm clubs, it happens so often it is kind of expected. But I will never forget the aftermath of winning the cup which was just a fantastic night in Paisley. The drive through the town in the open top bus was unbelievable, the crowds at the Abbey and town hall were incredible, even though it was a typically horrible Paisley night with pouring rain and a howling gale in the middle of May."

Regardless of the result on Sunday, Money believes St Mirren fans should show more respect towards the club's management team who came under fire following Saturday's 1-0 SPL defeat at Hamilton. "It is just typical of supporters these days," said Money. "If they are not winning, they are not happy. The interesting thing would be if Gus left and where they would go from there."