Thomson and Vignal join Rangers staff

Former Rangers players Kevin Thomson and Gregory Vignal have rejoined the Ibrox club as members of the youth coaching staff.

Both will take up roles in the Intermediate Academy, which looks after the youngsters from under-13 to under-15.

The duo are joined by Stuart Taylor, the ex-aston Villa and Wolves coach, who will assist Peter Lovenkrands and Billy Kirkwood with the Development Squad while Graeme Murty is in charge of the first team.

Thomson, pictured, spent three and a half seasons with Rangers beginning in January 2006. He was a member of the squad which reached the Uefa Cup final in 2008. Vignal, meanwhile, spent a campaign on loan at Ibrox from Liverpool in 2004-05. Rangers head of academy Craig Mulholland said: “I am delighted to welcome Stuart, Kevin and Gregory to the academy. “Kevin and Gregory are well known faces to the supporters and provide us with more ex-rangers players within the academy which will benefit our young players.” Dundee are in talks with Shrewsbury Town about extending striker A-jay Leitch-smith’s loan deal until the end of the season.

The 27-year-old moved to Dundee at the start of the season and has made a positive impact as Neil Mccann’s side recently clawed themselves off bottom spot, netting his fifth goal of the campaign against St Johnstone in their last game before the split.

Leitch-smith is due to return to Shrewsbury at the end of this month but Shrewsbury chief executive Brian Caldwell said: “There has been discussions taking place between the two clubs and A-jay’s representatives about potentially extending his loan to the end of the season.” Meanwhile, Mccann has moved to replace goalkeeper Scott Bain by handing French stopper Jeremy Malherbe a deal to the end of the season following a successful trial spell.

The former AS Nancy trainee was most recently on the books with Belarussian outfit FC Dynamo Bres. Bain has joined Hibs on loan until the end of the season following a reported fall-out with Mccann.