Progress for young Rangers

Rangers academy director Jim Sinclair admits he is one of the few people who are benefiting from the club's well-documented financial problems.

With little money to spend, boss Walter Smith has been forced to battle on both the domestic and European stage with a compact pool of players.

Such a small squad, combined with inevitable injury problems, means he has often been forced to turn to Murray Park graduates to make up the numbers in the first team.

Danny Wilson made the most of his opportunity before winning a move to Liverpool, while the likes of John Fleck, Kyle Hutton and Gregg Wylde have also impressed. And, as far as Sinclair is concerned, seeing the fruits of his labour make the step up into the first team makes his job worthwhile.

He said: "If I was here in better times and there were lavish riches and the kids weren't getting an opportunity, I would wonder what the task was.

"I'm delighted that so many kids are getting an opportunity to play and I genuinely feel there are others who can contribute as the weeks and months go on.

"Whether it's the circumstances around the club at the moment - which are not particularly healthy financially as we are all very much aware - they are getting an opportunity.

"But getting an opportunity is one thing, it's being able to take it. Hopefully they are equipped to do so and I think they are."