WALTER SMITH has defended the coaching abilities of his former Rangers assistants Ally McCoist and Kenny McDowall.

The legendary Ibrox boss achieved huge success during his second spell at the club with McCoist and McDowall by his side as he led the Light Blues to a hat-trick of SPL titles, five cup wins and a European final.

After his second departure, his two coaches stepped up the managerial ladder and took Rangers to the Third Division and League One crowns.

This term has been somewhat different, though, with McCoist, and then McDowall, failing to get the best out of their squad in the Championship. But Smith insists the off-field uncertainty played a major part in the series of poor performances and shock results.

He said: "I was the manager, Alistair was the assistant manager and Kenny was the coach and, for four-and-a-half years, when the club was well run, we did well.

"I couldn't run Rangers on my own. The people that I worked with did a terrific job. I know their strengths.

"Ally had never managed a football club before, and neither had I when I took over. Imagine when you have never managed a football club before going into Rangers and being there for four years under the circumstances they were in.

"People say 'he will ask Walter Smith for advice'. But I had never been in that circumstance before, so how could I give him any advice?

"It is an unfair judgment for people to make on him because of the circumstances.

"Kenny McDowall is a terrific coach and one of the most organised people I have ever worked with. Yet, I hear all these assessments.

"If you don't get results, people make those assessments, but they are not correct. The circumstances weren't right."

After seeing their title dreams ended while McCoist was in charge and their chances of promotion threatened under McDowall, Rangers are now back on track thanks to new boss Stuart McCall.

The Light Blues have their sights set on a return to the Premiership this season and Smith hopes the calm at boardroom level will help his former midfielder in the dugout.

He said: "I got the support of David Murray when I was manager and he was a big help to me. They never had that help, they didn't get any help.

"Stuart has come in at a time when everybody is looking a bit brighter at Rangers.

"It certainly wasn't a good time when Alistair took over. Craig Whyte came in and that coincided with Alistair, I felt, not getting a fair opportunity.

"It is very difficult to judge him as a manager under the circumstances that he worked in.

"I wouldn't have liked to have worked under them."