This Ibrox group can be Euro stars

Dave King believes Rangers can beat the odds and make it to the groups of the Europa League – despite only two clubs from 96 making it through four rounds last season.

He said: “The difference is most of those would have been small clubs who were there for a reason.

“Rangers is a different situation. We’re not a small club. We’re a club that’s being rehabilitated. So that number would have been higher if there had been a bunch of teams like Rangers in there.

“I wouldn’t say I was optimistic but I’m not discounting the possibility of making the group stages. It’ll depend on the draw at the later stages.

“The fact we’re unseeded in the second round makes it hard. The first two games should be manageable but it’s going to depend whether we end up with an Everton or Villarreal type after that.

“But being in Europe is absolutely vital. It would have been tougher to have got someone like Pedro, and tougher to get the type of player he’s bringing in, without that.

“It would have been a disaster if we hadn’t made the Europa League.”