Logan believes top flight strength surprised Gers

Aberdeen defender Shay Logan feels Rangers and its supporters may have underestimated the strength of the Scottish Premiership.

The Dons will try to take a step closer to a third successive runners-up finish in the top flight with a victory against Ross County at Pittodrie today.

Many tipped Rangers to emerge as Celtic’s closest challengers following promotion from the Championship.

Despite a much bigger budget, the Ibrox side trail Derek McInnes’ side in the race to finish best of the rest and full-back Logan feels the Glasgow club wasn’t anticipating life to prove quite so difficult.

He said: “It’s good to have Rangers in the league, it makes it a stronger and more entertaining competition.

“They have come up from the Championship and it’s a totally different league. The teams are a lot stronger.

“Rangers supporters love their team and love what they are, but they have to understand the Premiership is a whole different league.

“Maybe this will be the year that Rangers think ‘it is harder than we thought’, and maybe go about it a different way next season.”

Logan is hoping to continue his remarkable scoring run against the Staggies today.

The defender has scored 12 goals in 145 appearances during his time at Pittodrie – five against County.

The Englishman scored the winner in this month’s 1-0 Scottish Cup a fortnight ago, having also hit the back of the net in the 4-0 victory against the Staggies on October 15 last year.

Logan also netted a double in the 3-2 success in Dingwall on January 17 last year and another in a 4-0 win on Saturday, February 2015.