Rangers come in a distant third in Premiership Play-Off predictions

Most fans were keen on a play-off system because we had seen in other countries how exciting and successful they could be.

They provide a different strand of entertainment at the end of a long, hard season. In many ways, they are like a new competition.

Clubs down the divisions have had play-offs for some time now, but having an end-of-season series of matches to get into the SPFL Premiership was long overdue.

Now they have been introduced, everyone has seen the benefits.

I commentated on the second leg of the Hibs v Hamilton match in the final for BT Sport last season and it was probably one of the most enjoyable games I had watched all season.

I am anticipating the fixtures this season being fascinating. It is certainly impossible to call who will come up with Hearts into the top division in the 2015/16 campaign.

Or, indeed, if any of the three second-tier teams will. Motherwell have shown a real upturn in form since the turn of the year, although they did go down 2-0 at Hamilton last night.

Marvin Johnson has made a real impact on the left side and Ian Baraclough has brought the best out of Lee Irwin. They will still be no pushovers.

I did a straw poll among my Twitter followers and asked them who they thought would get to the final out of Hibs, Queen of the South and Rangers.

I appreciate it wasn't very scientific, but Queen of the South and Hibs came top. Rangers were a distant third.

The Dumfries club are serious contenders. They know how to play on their artificial pitch. They play good counter-attacking football and will be more than a match for any club.

Stuart McCall has definitely improved Rangers since he has taken over as manager. He has found a way to beat most of the teams he has faced.

McCall has identified a few strengths in his squad during his time in charge. He has brought in several young players who have breathed life into their play.

Haris Vuckic, the Newcastle United loan star, has been outstanding. You feel that if he performs then the whole side does.

But there is only so much that Stuart has been able to do with the squad that he has inherited. You can't say with any certainty they will return to the top flight.

I think there are still question marks over both Hibs and Rangers in big games. Can they perform when it really matters? I'm not convinced that they can.

And, as I say, when one of the clubs gets into the final the chances are they will face a Motherwell team energised by the signings their manager made in January.

They are a very different outfit to the one that struggled at the start of the campaign and resulted in McCall standing down as boss.

I have commentated on their games a fair bit recently and the only time they have failed to turn up was in a defeat to Partick Thistle at Firhill on a very blustery day.

The SPFL Premiership play-offs have been a welcome addition to Scottish football and promise to be enthralling next month.

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