THE loan Rangers may be out of sight, but Robbie Crawford is determined that he won't be out of Ally McCoist's mind this season.

The 21-year-old midfielder is one of seven Ibrox kids who made a deadline-day move last week, with the Ibrox exit door being well used as the entrance remained bolted shut.

His departure - like those of Calum Gallagher, Tom Walsh, Craig Halkett, Danny Stoney, Luca Gasparotto and Barrie McKay - was designed as a temporary measure to improve his chances of prolonging his Light Blues career rather than bringing it to an abrupt end.

With prospects of regular first-team football limited at Rangers, a short-term departure was the obvious way for Crawford to enhance his long-term ambitions of becoming a feature in McCoist's plans.

He made his debut for Jim Duffy's side on Saturday, but couldn't stop Alloa edging a tight affair at Cappielow to book a place in the Petrofac Training Cup semi-finals.

For the Greenock-born lad, though, the game was a worthwhile exercise, as he hopes the coming months will be.

"It has been tough to get in the team at Rangers, but this gives me a chance to get some games and more experience," Crawford said.

"The first game didn't go as I would have hoped, but I am sure we will bounce back as a team and it will be a successful season for us.

"I only thought about going out on loan in the last couple of weeks of the transfer window really. I discussed it with the gaffer, Ally McCoist, and he agreed with me.

"The manager does have a big squad, but you never know what can happen. It is up to us to prove we are good enough when we go out on loan and show him what we can do. That is what we are planning to do.

"I thought Morton was the right fit for me. I'm a local lad and they are a full-time club, so I will spend all my time here. I want to get to know the boys, help them win games and return a better player."

Rangers may have shipped out a seven-a-side team of kids in the transfer window, but McCoist insists the starlets will remain in his thoughts.

With the Championship title a must, he bolstered his squad with Premiership-standard reinforcements earlier in the summer.

That meant the chances of players breaking through, in the first half of the season at least, were remote.

Lewis Macleod and Fraser Aird remain firmly in McCoist's plans and team, with the midfield duo role models for the other Ibrox hopefuls to follow. McKay at Raith Rovers and Gallagher at Cowdenbeath have the chance to prove themselves in the second tier.

Gasparrotto, Walsh and Stoney will compete against Crawford in League One for Airdrie, Stenhousemuir and Stranraer respectively.

Halkett has joined Barry Ferguson at Clyde.

Some players may have moved down the league ladder but they have still stepped up in the game from Under-20 level and Crawford knows they have to prove they can cut it in a competitive arena.

He said: "It is up to us when we are out on loan to show the manager that we are good enough to get in the first team at Rangers.

"He has shown he will play the younger boys, so it is up to us to show that we deserve it.

"It is all about learning. This is a new experience for me. I am sure it will benefit me when I go back.

"Playing week in, week out is better than being in and out of a team. It is something I am looking forward to. Hopefully I can have success at Morton.

"The boys here work hard and I thought the performance was good on Saturday and we played some good stuff."

CRAWFORD may not have got life in Greenock off to a winning start but he can be pleased with a solid performance in a number of different roles for Duffy's side.

A lack of cutting edge cost the Ton dear as they passed up a series of golden scoring chances.

The Wasps then stung them at the death with Ryan McCord's late winner to progress to the last four, where they could face Rangers if the Light Blues can see off East Fife next month.

Now, having collected Third Division and then League One winner's medals in the last two seasons, super-fit Crawford is determined to help Morton's title challenge.

That quest will resume on Saturday when Gasparotto's Airdrie visit Cappielow.

Crawford said: "Losing to Alloa was a tough one to take for the boys. We put a lot into the game and worked hard.

"We created a few chances but a lack of concentration cost us at the end.

"It was a disappointing way to start. There are fine lines between success and failure and you simply have to take your chances.

"The boys really wanted to reach the semi-final but, sadly, it wasn't to be.

"Hopefully we can now bounce back against Airdrie next Saturday.

"I have only played a handful of games this season so it was good to get 90 minutes under my belt. Hopefully I can kick on from here.

"I felt fine after it physically, I was just disappointed for the team. I wanted to help them get the win. Nobody likes losing."