NICKY CLARK hopes he can soon realise his Old Firm dream by signing on the dotted line for Rangers.

Scottish football's top scorer this season is set to pen a long-term deal with the Glasgow giants next week, and has revealed the secret ambition he hopes his impending move to Govan will help him fulfil.

For boyhood Rangers fan Clark has never been to an Old Firm game and, although Gers will be operating in the Second Division next season, he has fingers crossed that Ally McCoist's men will cross swords with Celtic in cup competition.

That would give the youngster a chance to follow in the footsteps of father Sandy and don Light Blue in the greatest derby of them all.

Yet Clark admits that he will face a major battle to make a first-team jersey his own while he vies with the likes of Andy Little for one of the main striker slots at Ibrox next term.

Looking forward to the moment he hopes to sign for Gers and follow in the footsteps of his goalscoring hero Michael Mols, the modest young striker revealed he has belief in the skills that made him PFA Second Division Player of the Year.

However, he is hoping the chance to train at Murray Park will provide him with the ultimate strikers' finishing school, to eventually allow him to ply his trade in the SPL in the colours of his heroes.

Clark said: "It is a funny thing that as a Rangers supporter I have never ever been to an Old Firm game. Although that is not news to me, when I spoke to Ally McCoist for the first time it was one thing that kept coming back at me.

"I know that even when things hopefully are concluded, it will be real battle to make a starting place my own at Rangers.

"Obviously Celtic are not going to be on the radar in terms of league football, but there is still the chance that Rangers could draw them in either of the two cups."

He went on: "For me, the prospect of going to Rangers is a dream, but the chance to play in an Old Firm game would be the ultimate moment.

"Like I say, a lot of things would need to fall into place for that to happen, but in football you've got to have dreams.

"The biggest one for me is to play for Rangers, but if that happens then I would be like any other Rangers player and be desperate to take part in an Old Firm game."

Clark is hoping to conclude a three-year deal with the Govan giants next week that will allow him to tread on the hallowed turf of Ibrox where his ultimate footballing hero, the great Dutchman Mols, plied his trade.

Despite his success in the season just gone by that allowed him to finish the season as Scottish goalscorer supreme, Clark admits the hard work will only really begin when he turns up at Murray Park for pre-season.

The 21-year-old said: "Michael Mols was my boyhood hero in a Rangers shirt. For me, he had it all in terms of speed, movement and his ability to finish.

"I have worked hard to make sure I can finish with either foot and, although I like to get in behind defenders, I realise you have to keep working on your game to make sure it is as rounded as possible.

"When I look at Andy Little and all the goals he has scored this season, and the fact that he and Dean Shiels are both full internationals with Northern Ireland, then I know how hard I will have to work to compete with these guys.

"But hopefully all of that will make me a better player. For me, the most important thing in football is that you keep trying to get better – at Rangers I know I will have no option."

The prospective Gers new boy has also spoken of his admiration for inspirational skipper Lee McCulloch and can't wait to share a dressing room with the Ibrox icon.

Clark said: "Lee McCulloch is just a tremendous professional who has seen it all and done it all in the game both in Scotland and England. I have seen plenty of Rangers' games this season and he is a tremendous leader and he just drives Rangers on.

"But the opportunity to train and hopefully play with a player like Lee, if everything goes to plan, is something that would improve any young player."