Michael Beale has Rangers transfer trust in the bank but there's a risk-free option down the M8 - Kenny Miller

Michael Beale will have done all his due diligence.

He’ll have sat down with every new Rangers signing and looked them in the eye – believing they have the mentality to play at Ibrox. He’ll have delved into their backgrounds, trying to get every shred of information. But the truth is, he will only discover if they can really cut it in this league come August 5 at Rugby Park. An away game at Kilmarnock, on a plastic pitch, with a 5.15pm kick-off. And absolutely no room for error.

That’s when Michael and the Rangers fans will get a better idea of players’ characters. Abdallah Sima is the latest addition after joining the club last week on loan from Brighton. And like a few of the new arrivals, there’s an element of the unknown about him. I’ve said before, Michael has earned supporters’ trust with his recruitment so far. So they have to roll with it. But the first four Premiership fixtures will probably tell us everything we need to know. None of the boys Michael has signed have set foot in Scottish football before. So it’ll be sink or swim time – and they have to deal with it.

After opening night in Ayrshire, it’s Livingston at home, a tough team to play against in front of 50,000 fans who will expect you to win. Then it’s a trip to Dingwall, a small stadium in the Highlands – again, a new experience for them. And next up, their first Old Firm fixture at Ibrox against Treble champions Celtic.

Even now, you’re thinking, Rangers MUST have nine points in the bag going into that match. That’s just life here. But these boys won’t have faced it at any stage of their career so far. Going to Kilmarnock will test them right away. Some of these boys will be asking: ‘Why are we playing on Astro in a top league’? Of course, Michael