ROBBIE CRAWFORD has not quite been to hell and back during his short career so far … although Montrose probably comes pretty close.

But the Rangers midfielder has the bright lights finally in his sights after years dwelling in the depths of the Scottish lower leagues.

Two seasons ago the now 21-year-old was one of a large handful of kids who were entrusted on taking Rangers from the Third Division and guiding them back up through the ranks.

Racking up over 50 appearances in light blue, Crawford regularly featured as the Ibrox side departed on a tour of Scotland, visiting outposts up and down the country such as Shielfield Park, Borough Briggs and Balmoor.

Now at Morton on loan until January, Crawford has studiously worked hard and progressed in the SPFL League One in an attempt to reinstate himself as one of Ally McCoist's regulars, just as he once was as a promising teenager.

It's a sabbatical which he believes is paying off.

"I'm here to January," Crawford told SportTimes. "It gives you an incentive to do well knowing what you could be going back to play in.

"I'm here to learn, play well and do a job for Morton and hopefully that is enough to get me back in the manager's thoughts at Rangers.

"I'm just trying to take it one game at a time at the moment, though. It's about learning as much as I can and above all enjoy it."

Not that the driven youngster was needing it, but Crawford has added incentive to produce in a Ton jersey given what he could be going back to.

Having been left out the Cappielow club's League Cup defeat earlier this term to Partick Thistle, he is still eligible to feature for Rangers when they reacquaint themselves with arch Glasgow rivals Celtic in the tournament's semi-final next year.

Having been at Ibrox since he was eight, it's a fixture Crawford understandably is drawn in by.

Given the miles he has clocked up through the league with Rangers, the modest and articulate player recognises the significance of the first Old Firm match in nearly three years when compared to some of the fixtures they have been fulfilling in recent seasons.

And Crawford believes a place to take on Celtic would be a special moment for those who have watched and helped Rangers' resurrection from start to finish.

"It's a massive game. It is a big part of the history of the club," said Crawford, who did not play last night in Morton's 2-0 win over Airdrie.

"We've been down the lower leagues, played in a lot of difficult places but we've learned a lot. I think we have shown that we are ready for the challenge.

"It would be a massive thing for me and, to be fair, everyone else.

"But it's especially important for the young boys who have come through the youth team and know what Rangers is all about. It's a special game for everyone.

"It would be a great thing for the younger guys to play in given where we have been over the last couple of years.

"Everyone in the squad wants to be part of that. The whole club is looking forward to the game and I just need to get ready for it."

DESPITE spending his days in Greenock, the Rangers midfielder is content he is still in the thoughts of McCoist and his staff.

He added: "I go in every couple of weeks and use the gym so I speak to the other boys. They tell me to express myself, enjoy it and keep fit so I can learn as much as I can.

"I really like it at Morton. We have a lot of young boys who want to play good football, but we are all learning at the same time. It's all about new challenges and I'm enjoying it."