ROBBIE CRAWFORD today vowed to show he merits continued inclusion in the Rangers first team in the Ramsdens Cup showdown with Berwick Rangers.

And Crawford reckons his fellow-Gers kids can give manager Ally McCoist a major selection headache by performing well at Ibrox tomorrow night.

McCoist is not allowed to field any of his new players in the second-round meeting against Berwick under SPFL rules.

So he will be forced to go with youngsters like Fraser Aird, Scott Gallacher, Kyle McAusland, Barrie McKay and Lewis Macleod.

But Crawford reckons the match is an excellent opportunity for his contemporaries to show they deserve to be involved after August 31.

The Glasgow club can sign free agents from September 1 as the 12-month SFA signing embargo will finally have expired.

Crawford said: "I am really pleased I have been involved this season. The manager has shown great confidence in me and I am obviously happy.

"I got a good pre-season under my belt and focused on proving myself. I have just concentrated on showing the manager what I can do.

"But at a club like Rangers big players are always going to come in during the summer. It is a challenge you will always face.

"However, the manager has shown great faith in the young boys in the last year or so. We owe him a lot for that.

"It was really great to score a goal in the game against Airdrie last Friday night and show the manager did the right thing in picking me.

"If I can keep playing well and doing that, then hopefully I will stay in contention for a place in the team even, when the new players come into the equation.

"I think the same goes for the other young boys. If they can do well in this Ramsdens Cup match against Berwick, then it gives the manager something to think about."

Rangers suffered a humiliating penalty shoot-out defeat to Queen of the South in the quarter-final of the Ramsdens Cup at Ibrox last season.

And they crashed to an extra-time loss to Forfar Athletic at Station Park in the League Cup earlier this month when they were without their summer acquisitions.

However, Crawford, who has been receiving widespread plaudits as a result of his lively performances in the 2013/14 campaign, is hopeful they can avoid another cup exit.

He said: "We played Berwick Rangers on several occasions last season in the Third Division and we know just what tough opponents they can be.

"They drew with us at their own ground early on in the season.

"But if we can all perform to the very best of our abilities then we should be able to overcome them at Ibrox.

"We are keen to do as well as we possibly can in the cup competitions this season including in the Ramsdens Cup."