Clean sheets provide King with optimism

Dave King has backed Rangers to go from strength to strength under Steven Gerrard, following the Ibrox manager’s start to in the role.

The rookie boss successfully negotiated his first test by guiding his side past opening Europa League opponents FK Shkupi. But there was not much to get excited about in the 2-0 aggregate win as Rangers laboured to see off the Macedonians.

First-leg goals by Jamie Murphy and James Tavernier at Ibrox gave Gerrard’s side a crucial advantage but the former Liverpool and England captain has warned his shot-shy strike force to sharpen up after watching them draw a blank in the Skopje return.

However, chairman King is encouraged after watching Gerrard’s new-look defence open the campaign with back-to-back clean sheets as they avoided a repeat of last year’s humiliating first-round exit to Luxembourg no-hopers Progres Niederkorn.

And he believes Rangers will only get slicker going forward as the weeks go by.

In a pre-season address posted on the club’s website, the South Africa-based businessman told supporters: “It was pleasing to see the new squad settling down with the successful navigation last night (especially after last year) of a potentially tricky Europa League fixture with two clean sheets to the players’ credit.

“On this point, I am conscious that we were top scorers in the SPFL last season but conceded far too many goals to be able to finish higher than third.

“This leakage will be much reduced in the coming season thanks to the efforts of (director of football)markallenandsteven in the transfer market.

“This team will continue to improve which makes me more relaxed for this coming season than I have been for any since regime change.”

Rangers have confirmed they have terminated Harry Forrester’s contract “by mutual consent”. The 27-year-old was signed by Mark Warburton in January 2016 and helped the club win promotion to the top flight later that year.