ALLY McCOIST knows all too well what is expected of him and his players this season.

Many things may have changed since Rangers fell from their perch at the top of Scottish football but the demands from a silverware- seeking fan base are familiar.

The Gers are not operating in the same arenas or able to field the same array of multi-million stars as they once did but the Light Blue legions still won't accept anything less than first place.

McCoist started seven of the nine men he has brought to Ibrox this summer in the 5-1 victory over Arbroath on Saturday afternoon.

The scoreline may have been convincing but it will take time for this new-look Rangers line-up to fully hit their stride.

McCoist's side will be cut some slack by the Ibrox crowd but having started the season in such fine, free-flowing form, the demand to maintain, and improve, on the standards set thus far will soon arrive from the stands.

Even operating in League One, the thirst for success and pressure to succeed could weigh too heavily on the shoulders of players not strong enough to deal with the expectation from fans but McCoist has faith in his stars.

"I don't think they have been fazed," he said.

"I would hope that they have enjoyed it and warmed to the occasions. Time will tell if they can handle it.

"The obvious answer with some of them is that they can handle it and have handled it - Stevie Smith and Richard Foster have.

"I would imagine (Arnold) Peralta, who plays in fierce World Cup qualifiers in Central America, would handle it fine.

"There are obviously questions about the new boys that come to the club. But I would be very hopeful that they can all handle it.

"Look at the stadium and look at the fans. It would be a crime not to."

While the likes of Peralta and Bilel Mohsni must adapt to life in Scotland as well as settling into their Ibrox surroundings, the rest of McCoist's summer signings know exactly what is expected of them.

Nicky Clark showed he could rise to the big occasion when he helped Queen of the South knock Rangers out of the Ramsdens Cup at Ibrox last season.

He will return to his former club this evening as the Gers eye revenge and a semi-final berth and McCoist is sure the 22-year-old has what it takes to shine for the Light Blues.

"We'd seen him beforehand, but certainly that game didn't do him any harm," he said.

"There have been hundreds of players that have come to the Old Firm and not been able to handle it. At clubs like Rangers and Celtic, where the scrutiny is on you far more, I believe it takes a different type of mentality to play at that level and under that pressure.

"Nicky's a good lad, a really smashing lad. I just hope he can continue to progress. Last season was fantastic for him.

"We've got a little bit of competition for places up front now. Nicky's got a good approach to the game and he knows his own strengths."

After suffering premature exits from all three cup competitions last term, many Gers fans had high hopes that McCoist's side could challenge for knock-out honours this season, as well as claiming their second-straight title success.

The Rangers manager has one of the strongest squads in the country at his disposal this season but he won't tinker with the tried-and-trusted stars that have started the season in flying form.

HE SAID: "There is absolutely no way we would rotate the squad just for the sake of it.

"We will put out the strongest team that we possibly can in all the games.

"We want to win them all. We are not in a position where we can start resting players, far from it. We want to put our strongest team out on the park to win every game and certainly [tonight] it will be that."

Having already crashed out of the League Cup to Forfar this season, Rangers can ill-afford to suffer another knock-out blow this evening.

Adding the Ramsdens Cup to their illustrious roll of honour come the end of the campaign would hardly rank as the greatest achievement in Rangers' long history.

But McCoist is determined to ensure the silverware can take it's place in the Ibrox trophy cabinet.

"A continuation to keep the ball rolling and winning games is very important," he said.

"But also, it is a competition that we want to win.

"We really want to win the Ramsdens Cup. We have an opportunity to get into the semi-finals and we want to do that.

"In doing that, it would keep the momentum going of winning games and scoring goals, which is important.

"We have been doing that in the league up until now."