Rejected EPL clubs to be where his heart is

had no chance of getting to cup finals.

“I could have gone to another Premier League club, but I would probably have been involved in another relegation battle.

“From what I have seen, there’s a good squad here.

“The training facilities and the rest are all second to none. There are no excuses not to be at the top.

“If everyone is buying into the same thing, then anything is possible “That’s the draw for me.

“Even pulling up in the bus outside Ibrox before the Motherwell game I felt like an 18-year-old.

“The buzz I got was unbelievable.” Rangers face a crunch Europa League tie at home to Villarreal on Thursday.

After getting just a few seconds of the game against Spartak Moscow, Macauley would love to start at Ibrox.

He went on: “It’ll be a new experience for me. I’ve not really been playing or pitch-side yet. I’ve watched most of the games from the stand and the atmosphere those was breathtaking.

“My mates travel across from Northern Ireland regularly to the games, and they’re right in the mix of it.

“They have always talked about the atmosphere, but to be there to experience it for myself was something special.

“I’m hungry be involved on the pitch and to soak it all up if I can.

“Hopefully, we can produce another special result.

“The lads went out to Spain, went toe to toe with Villarreal and got a draw.

“They are obviously a good side, but that performance should give everyone confidence – especially with the crowd behind us.

“It’s a carrot to be the first Rangers team to beat a Spanish side in over 30 years and that would be a great achievement.

“It’s been a tough road for me getting back to fitness in the last few weeks.

“But the staff have been brilliant getting me back to a level where I feel I can play in Premiership games.” Macauley has bags of know-how and will be delighted if he can help young players develop at Rangers.

His European experience, however, is limited.

He said: “I played a few qualifiers when I was starting out in Northern Ireland.

“I scored in one of them – against a team from Andorra when I was with Coleraine.

“That was a long time ago, and this will be completely different, but the basics are the same.

“One of the things I have always taken with me since I played in an Irish Cup Final is to play the game, and not the occasion.”