Barry Ferguson tells Rangers doubters when he should be judged as new boss delivers no-nonsense message

New Rangers caretaker boss Barry Ferguson has told his doubters to judge him at the end of his three-month stint in charge.

The Ibrox icon has been put asked to take over following the sacking of Philippe Clement and will lead out the team for the first time on Wednesday when they head to Rugby Park.

But the decision to appoint the former skipper on an interim basis has divided an already fractured support, with some claiming the 47-year-old does not have the required credentials to lead the Light Blues. But Ferguson - who has managed at lower league level with Kelty Hearts, Clyde and Alloa as well as a brief stint as caretaker boss with Blackpool - is backing himself to lift a team that has hit rock bottom.

“Judge me at the end of the three months,” was his message to his critics. “I have no issue with that - everybody is entitled to their opinion. One thing you will get from me and my staff is that we won’t take this lightly. We’re taking it seriously.

“That will start tomorrow night but I would rather be judged come the end of the season. I know I’ll also be judged game by game but that’s just the nature of the beast when you’re at Glasgow Rangers.”

Ferguson has been joined by fellow Gers legends Allan McGregor, Billy Dodds and Neil McCann. They will be up against another former team-mate in Derek McInnes on Wednesday as they kick-off against Kilmarnock, a team Clement’s side have previously tripped up against this term.

But the new gaffer - a Record Sport columnist - is confident he can get a reaction from a team still reeling from shock home defeats to Queen’s Park and St Mirren. He said: “We’ve got 11 weeks to go and a number of games to go. We’re still in the Europa League so we have to be positive and make sure