THE new regime at Rangers has to make appointing a new manager and winning promotion to the SPFL Premiership their top priorities after taking power.

That was the message of former Light Blues player, youth coach and scout John Brown today as he assessed the scale of the challenge ahead at the Ibrox club.

Kenny McDowall's side is currently in third place in the SPFL Championship table and will have to rely on the play-offs to get back into the top flight.

But their form is unconvincing and, after losing to Hibs three times in the 2014/15 campaign, few Light Blues fans believe they can go up.

Stuart McCall, one of the contenders for the position vacated by Ally McCoist, this week stated that bringing in a new manager would help their cause.

And Brown also reckons it is imperative a new coach is brought in to lift the players between now and the end of the league season and clinch a lucrative Premiership place.

He said: "The biggest thing has been getting control of the club and getting them sorted off the field. That has been the priority.

"But on the football side Ally has left and Kenny is working his notice. For Rangers to have a chance of going up, I think the management has got to change.

"Kenny is wanting out as he has stressed. He is a good pal of mine and has been a great servant to the club.

"A deal has to be done to get a reaction out of an underperforming squad that, on paper, should be coasting into the Premiership. It isn't doing that.

"They need somebody to go in there between now and the end of the season to get a reaction out of the squad and try and win the play-off and get the club back to top flight.

"The players know the manager is working his notice and wants away. They need somebody in there who can get a ruffle feathers, get a reaction out of a squad of players and win promotion.

"But looking at them they will struggle to win back-to-back games between now and the end of the season and that form won't win them promotion. No way."

Brown added: "You have a football club from top to bottom that has been run down. The whole thing, from first team down to youth level, has to be looked at. A total rebuild is required.

"In the short term, though, they have to get a reaction out of players and win promotion. They should be doing their damndest to try and get up.

"Yes, a lot of the players are out of contract. But if you don't know you're going to be in the Premier League then you can't offer contracts to anybody. It depends on their performance where they are going to go next.

"So, for me, they need to get promotion short term and long term they have to rebuild the structure of the football set-up."