WARBURTON: SOAP OPERA OVER.. NOW FOR DYNASTY

EX-GERS BOSS WARBURTON CALLS FOR CLUB TO PILE ON CELTIC’S MISERY

MARK WARBURTON insists Rangers can rub salt into Celtic’s wounds by turning their title triumph into a dynasty of dominance.

The former Ibrox boss believes extending a 20-point lead now becomes a priority to deliver a powerful statement of intent for their defence of the trophy next season.

Confirmation of Steven Gerrard’s first trophy after three seasons in the Light Blues’ hotseat was greeted with joy by his fellow Englishman, who’s now in charge at Queens Park Rangers.

It was Warburton who guided the club back into the top flight in 2016 with their successful Championship promotion campaign before parting company the following season. But the 58-year-old is convinced being crowned champions for the first time in 10 years should be the start of a period of

monopoly by Gers over their city rivals and laying down foundations for their return to Scottish football’s summit as well making serious inroads in Europe.

He said: “It is a fantastic achievement and I’m delighted for everyone concerned at Rangers.

“But right now they will be keen to make sure that gap is as wide as possible by the end of the season and lay a marker down that they can build on.

“That’s the key. You’ve got to keep building, adding quality and keeping it fresh, keep moving forward.

“There’s no doubt Steven, Gary McAllister and the rest will be very keen to do that.

“They’ve got their rewards this season and there are a number of points still to play for and the Europa League too, so the ambition is still there.”

Warburton’s spell at Rangers proved to be a mixed bag of highs and lows before an acrimonious departure after trying to make a dent in what was a dominant Celtic side led by Brendan Rodgers.

The former Brentford boss was the architect of a Scottish Cup semi-final win over Celtic despite being a Championship side and it was to fuel a level of top-flight expectation which was not lived up to.

It was to prove a miserable and at times humiliating return to the top flight which included a 5-1 drubbing from Celtic during a campaign which saw them finish in third place, 39 points behind Rodgers and his Invincibles.

That huge gulf in quality between the two Old Firm clubs may have been bridged under Gerrard who has delivered a first Premiership crown for a decade, but Warburton is adamant it’s not a time to stand still but to get the foot down hard on the accelerator.

He said: “I’m delighted for the blue side of Glasgow, I’m delighted for Steven and his staff and all the friends I know at the club.

“I know what it means to Rangers. They have been through so much as a club over the last 10 years from the relegation, the fightback to getting back into the Premiership.

“They have had to close that gap on Celtic which was so clear with the financial disparity.

“They have done that in a solid and steady way.

“We saw the fightback and our own Lee Wallace was hugely pivotal in that and getting the club back up.

“They got promoted back to the Premiership but then there was the need to close the gap.

“They were up against a team that was dominant, packed with internationals, had Champions League every year and that financial gap was huge. They have had to close that gap and it can’t happen in 12 or 18 months. It takes time.

“But they have done that and over the last two, three, four years they have closed the gap, built the playing squad to a level where it’s now at the top of Scottish football and can compete in Europe as well.”

Gerrard’s title triumph has been three years in the making with millions of pounds spent during a succession of transfer windows.

That has slowly but surely transformed the squad from pretenders to the throne to empathic champions.

Rangers fast-tracked summer moves for Aberdeen winger Scott Wright and Bournemouth defender Jack Simpson ahead of the January transfer deadline and Cherries midfielder Nnamdi Ofoborh is also making the move north at the end of the season. The rise in quality within the Rangers dressing room has been stark since Gerrard first arrived at the club to an enthusiastic fanfare but Warburton is convinced a standard has been set and the calibre of players coming through the door will get even higher. He said: “It’s been a very sound achievement so far. “But what they have to do now – and Steven will be the first to say this – is build on this. “I’m sure Steven will be pushing the board and Rangers sporting director Ross Wilson to get ever better players in. “He’ll want to keep strengthening their position at the top of Scottish football and in Europe as well. “They have got a very strong squad. “They found with Celtic that when you have got that momentum and you develop a squad you can build a gap.”