HE IS the third man in the dugout this season, he is aiming for second posi- tion in the league and he wants to be the first name on Rangers' wanted list.

The coming days and weeks will be defining for Stuart McCall in more ways than one.

Having rescued Rangers' season and allayed fears that they could miss out on the Championship play-offs all together, he is now on the brink of ensuring his side will avoid the first knockout round at the end of the campaign by finishing second in the standings.

The improvement has been noticeable, the progression steady, as performances and results have picked up and Rangers have crossed more hurdles than they have stumbled at in recent weeks.

Having seen Dave King, Paul Murray and John Gilligan win the boardroom war, supporters now have their attentions fixed firmly on the team as the conclusion to the Championship campaign draws nearer.

If all goes to plan for McCall, the next half a dozen games will see him lead Rangers back to the Premiership and move him to the forefront of the board's thinking as they get set to appoint a permanent replacement for Ally McCoist this summer.

McCall has done his chances of extending his stay no harm since taking over from Kenny McDowall last month, and nine-in-a-row legend John Brown is pleased to see developments all round at Ibrox.

He said: "He's definitely improved things, the team looks far more energetic.

"He's blooding some of the younger ones, too, and the fact he's doing that proves the senior lads have really let themselves down.

"You can't be too critical of the previous management when you think of the circumstances surrounding the football club. If that runs through your club, there is a bad vibe.

"The new board and Dave King have given everyone such a lift. On their first day Dave, Paul Murray and John Gilligan went up to speak to the staff at Murray Park. The old board didn't show any interest.

"Stuart has the job until the end of the season and he'll be in a strong position if he gets Rangers promoted."

No matter who is given the task of leading Rangers next season, and no matter what league they are in, the immediate future will determine in what direction the club is heading in both the short and medium term.

If they can get to the play-off final and face the side that finishes eleventh in the top flight this term, their destiny will not be known until the end of next month.

That will give McCall or a new boss just weeks to prepare his squad for either a crack at the Premiership or another shot at the Championship title next time out.

With more than an entire team of players out of contract in just a couple of weeks, it will be a frantic summer at Ibrox as plans are made, deals are done and the foundations for the new campaign are laid.

There is a danger that Rangers could get left behind if they are not ready to hit the ground running, but Bomber insists there will be no need to push the panic button.

He said: "Having been involved on the scouting side, there are players you can pick up.

" Basically, you are matching up against Celtic and thinking how long it is going to take to compete and win against Celtic.

"If Stuart does eventually get the job, he has a good knowledge of players and who is available. You might not get the cream, but you can still do deals over the June period and bring in boys to assess during the pre-season.

"The budget will be probably be decent and mean he can get a level of player capable of competing against every team - with the exception of Celtic at the moment.

"I would think within a year or two years, they could really be looking to win the Premier League."

If Rangers are to aspire to return to their natural and accustomed level sooner rather than later, there is no margin for error for the board when it comes to making the necessary appointments.

"As well as a new boss, the Light Blues must invest in off-field personnel and rebuild every area of the club, from top to bottom, after years of turmoil at Ibrox.

Brown quit his job at Murray Park in the aftermath of Charles Green's arrival and would be open to a return to the game and the club he loves.

He said: "I left Rangers three years ago because of what I found out. I didn't want to be a part of that.

"I gave up a scouting job. I went to Dundee and, because I was still commenting about Rangers, that had an effect.

"It probably went against hardcore Dundee fans and the board. Ultimately, it probably cost me my job there.

"Everybody knows I am a Rangers man and would do anything for the club. If there is anything I could do to help, then I would love to be back at the club. But I am not putting any pressure on anyone there."

lJohn Brown was promoting Rangers First - the UK's leading fan ownership group which currently has more than 13,400 members and owns more than two million shares. RF has been backed by former Light Blues stars such as Richard Gough, Jorg Albertz and Nacho Novo.