HAVING watched Walter Smith and then Ally McCoist at close quarters for years, Kenny McDowall believed he knew what being the manager of Rangers would entail.

But McDowall, who could conceivably take charge of his last game as caretaker this weekend, has been stunned by the intense demands of the role.

And as Dave King prepares to take over and appoint a permanent replacement, he stressed that nobody can appreciate what he and his predecessor have endured.

"It's been an incredible experience," he said. "I probably have mixed emotions on it actually. There has been good and bad.

"I didn't expect it, but, when it happens, you just have to take up the reins and crack on with it. It's all you can do.

"It has been difficult because of what has been happening at the club. I am sure that in time I will look back and take a step back and think: 'That was incredible!'

"I was privy to it before and didn't think it could get any worse, but things don't get better here it seems. Having to contend with everything has been difficult."

McDowall added: "What we had to deal with here will never happen again. Nobody knows and nobody will ever know what we have had to endure.

"I would like to think I would think about the good times - but I will never forget what we have been through. It has burned pretty deep."

McDowall spent over three years as assistant to McCoist before his close friend stood down as manager in January and he was appointed as his successor.

He felt the apprenticeship he had served would prepare him for the challenges that lay ahead in the SPFL Championship, League Cup and Scottish Cup.

However, after losing his first game in charge 4-0 to Hibs at Easter Road, he quickly discovered that being in the spotlight is far harder than it looks.

McDowall said: "It's helped me understand the manager's role better because I have been doing the assistant bit for a few years now.

"The closest I have been is with Coisty. I have watched him suffer and I tried to be there for him. I thought I knew how he felt, but I really didn't.

"It's a lonely job. I like to think I was there for Coisty and I helped to alleviate any burden he had.

"But when you're trying to get a result and you're on that touchline, you name your team and let them go and you are in their hands for 90 minutes. You are depending on them to get a result.

"It's your job as the coach or the manager to make sure that they get it with whatever you do during the week.

"So whatever you have done it all boils down to 90 minutes on a Saturday or a Tuesday and you're totally in their hands.

"There are so many people you don't want to let down - especially at a place like this with a huge fan base who travel far and wide to support you.

"So you want to send them home happy because for a lot of them it's their life. You also have a board you need to keep happy. You have to win here - that's all that is acceptable.

"And on top off that you have your own family and you have the players to deal with.

"It's trying to strike that balance of keeping everybody wanting to play for you by keeping them going that those not playing might get a chance."

Ally McCoist was heavily criticised during his time in charge of Rangers, towards the end of his tenure especially, for the quality of football his side played and the results they recorded.

But McDowall has been given a unique insight into how difficult it is to succeed at the Ibrox club and believes history will be kind to McCoist.

He said: "Ally did an incredible job here. But will he get credit? I think he will. But I don't think it will be now - it will be in a few years' time."

The former Partick Thistle and St Mirren player is unsure whether he will move back into management once he leaves Rangers - or look to get a coaching role.

But he believes what he has been through in the last few years at Ibrox will prepare him for whatever comes his way in the future.

He said: "Whether we move somewhere else and carry on time will tell but one thing I do know it will stand us on good stead."

McDowall, who was poached from his youth coaching role at Celtic when Smith returned as manager back in 2007, has admitted he never felt entirely comfortable being manager.

He said: "I keep going back to the circumstances. People say to me: 'It's a pity about the circumstances of you landing the job'.

"But if the circumstances were different Ally would be sitting in this seat and I would be sitting in the other office with Durranty having a laugh. Because that's what we did.

"I was lucky enough to come here with Walter Smith when he approached me. For me nothing could top that. Being invited here by the great man.

"When Walter stepped down people took it as a given Ally would give me the assistant job. Everybody bar me.

"Coisty knows a lot of people and has a lot of ex teammates. He could have gone to anybody, especially wee Durranty - they are great mates.

"So that was a great honour for me when Coisty phoned me to say: 'Listen I want you to take it'. That's why me sitting here as manager is uncomfortable.

"Although uncomfortable is probably not the word because you get better at it the longer you do it. But did I want to be the Rangers manager? No. Am I here through circumstances? Yes.

"I would prefer it to be Ally because I am a loyal guy and my loyalty is to him. That's where it doesn't sit well with me."