Naismith keen to see new faces

Steven NAISMITH is relishing the prospect of new signings this summer because he believes Rangers need competition for places again.

Boss Walter Smith has not bought a new player for two years but has been told cash will be available to bolster his squad ahead of the new Clydesdale Bank Premier League campaign.

Naismith says the arrival of fresh talent at Ibrox can only benefit the current crop of players.

"It will just keep everybody on their toes," the 23-year-old said.

"The squad has not been as big for the last few years and a few new faces will brighten the whole place up.

"Hopefully there will be more competition for places and it raises the standard again."

Several players have already left Rangers since their double-winning campaign, with Kris Boyd the most recent departure after sealing a move to Middlesbrough.

Asked what the club is like without the prolific striker, Naismith smiled: "It's quieter. I used to travel with him in the mornings and obviously I won't be doing that now either. It's a different place without him and all the other boys who have left.

"Over the last couple of years we gelled well as a squad and not just in the football sense, off the field as well. It's a transformation now."

Naismith has backed Boyd to be just as prolific in front of goal at Middlesbrough as he was at Rangers.

The pair played together at Kilmarnock, before both sealed their respective moves to the Scottish champions, and fellow forward Naismith knows better than most what his old team-mate has to offer.

He watched as Boyd finished top goalscorer every season for Rangers, before writing his name into the history books when he replaced Henrik Larsson as the SPL's all-time top goalscorer.

Having taken Scottish football by storm, Naismith is confident Boyd's skills will transfer to the Championship after signing a two-year deal at the Riverside.

He said: "I think he will score goals wherever he plays and he has shown that throughout his career so far - starting off at Kilmarnock, coming to Rangers and then on the international scene.

"It's another challenge for him and I'm sure he will score many goals for Middlesbrough.

"He has been in Scotland a long time, with Kilmarnock and Rangers, and it's probably just a different challenge for him."

"I think that Kris Boyd will score goals no matter where he plays his football"