Walter Smith dedicates title to cash-strapped Rangers side who beat the odds

It is impossible to ponder this success without taking into account the back story of a campaign which began nine months ago at Ibrox, beneath a championship flag that will flutter on for another year in Govan. Rangers have been faced with more than just those 11 opponents who make up the SPL. Added to these familiar combatants have been the club's bankers, whose demands that belts be tightened meant Smith had to work another miracle from a tight group of tired but clearly determined players.

The manager yesterday pin-pointed January as being a crucial month as Rangers fought to cope with injury and suspension. This month began with a 1-1 draw against Celtic at Parkhead and included a battling 1-0 victory at Hamilton, when Rangers did not have the available numbers to name the full quota of six substitutes. A Nacho Novo goal with 12 minutes remaining secured the three points for the Ibrox side, and they rounded off January with wins over Falkirk and St Mirren having also drawn at home to Hearts.

But the inability to name the required seven substitutes at New Douglas Park was a low point in the league season, even if the digging out of a win helped define it. Smith named only six substitutes – Hamilton had the full entitlement of seven – and this incomplete group was made up by a reserve goalkeeper, Steven Smith, 21-year-old Rory Loy, 20-year-old Andrew Little, and two teenagers, John Fleck and Jamie Ness. Injury had robbed Smith of top scorer Kris Boyd while Kenny Miller was suspended. Also absent was Madjid Bougherra, who was committed to international duty with Algeria. In the same month Celtic brought in eight new players, including the on-loan striker Robbie Keane on wages reported to be 65,000 a week.

When asked at what stage of the season did he begin to feel that the title was a real possibility, Smith directed reporters to the start of the year. His team overcame an adverse set of circumstances and in doing so set the dial for a championship that was finally secured yesterday, after weeks spent in anticipation. Smith also spoke of his "relief" at having finally made the championship win official having for so long been in an almost-but not quite hinterland .

"We got over January having had Novo, (DaMarcus] Beasley, Boyd and Miller all out injured and also Steven Naismith – these were all players who could play up front as well," said Smith. "We had to field a team at Hamilton Accies one day without the requisite number of substitutes. But once we got over January and maintained our lead and then increased it after the last Old Firm game at Ibrox (in February] I thought then we could go on and do it.

"But I could see how physically and mentally tired they (the players] were. In terms of performance today Hibs were a bit brighter. They kept possession of the ball well, as they always do. For the first 20 minutes we were OK but we struggled a bit after that."

The collection of victories when not necessarily performing at the top of their game has been a feature of Rangers' season. Smith hailed his side yesterday, who have been led with distinction by 39-year-old skipper David Weir. The manager must also have been quietly satisfied that the striker labelled a multi-million pound misfit had struck the goal which confirmed the club as champions. Kyle Lafferty has emerged as a valuable contributor in recent weeks. Yesterday's winner was his third in Rangers' last four matches.

"I am delighted for the group of players," he said. "We have had to ask a lot of them this season and you can see that they have lost a little bit of the brightness they had in the early part of the season. We have had to keep asking them to come back and play and they have done so on a regular basis, and been fantastic. They deserve enormous credit.

"It's not my hard work," he continued. "It's easy when you just have to talk, it's harder when you have to go out and do it both physically and mentally. It's tiring. You can see that's been the case. The performance over the last couple of weeks have not been as bright as they might have been, and that's from a group of players who want to be as bright as they possibly can be. It's had an effect on them. But like a lot of times when they have been under pressure, they have won through. They have been a resilient bunch and a difficult bunch to beat."

Smith resolved to enjoy the moment before thoughts must turn once more to Rangers' off-field financial troubles. The outlook is at least a bit brighter due to the promise of Champions League funds, but no-one is foolish enough to believe that this will lead to a trail of would-be investors snaking its way to Ibrox – or at least to the door of owner Sir David Murray.

"The only problem with the break-up of the team is who is going to replace them – that's obviously a problem," said Smith yesterday, one of few downbeat notes struck by the manager. He kept returning to the theme of having battled the odds, and come out on top. In Scottish football terms, this is not a card Rangers have been able to play too often. Even now some will grumble about their resources being still very generous when compared to those of other sides in the SPL, excluding Celtic. But Smith hinted that this trophy – one of 19 he has claimed with Rangers – will always glint that bit brighter to him.

"You always feel grateful for the fact you have won a trophy when you are in position to do so, as Rangers teams are a lot of the time," he stated. "But this one is maybe a little bit different from the others that we have won because of the the difficulties we have faced. We have got a good group of players, we just don't have an awful lot of them in terms of the size of group that's needed for a club like Rangers," he added. "What separates it from a lot of the championships I have been fortunate to win is the fact we have done so with a small group and a little bit against the odds."