WALTER SMITH insists promotion to the Premiership is crucial for Rangers as the Light Blues close in on second spot in the table.

Stuart McCall's side face Falkirk at Ibrox on Saturday aiming to edge nearer to finishing best of the rest behind Championship winners Hearts and ensure they will avoid the first round of play-off fixtures.

Rangers will then have to overcome Hibernian, Queen of the South or Falkirk over two legs before facing the side that finishes eleventh in the Premiership late next month.

The road to the top flight is still an arduous one for the Light Blues, but legendary boss Smith knows they must prevail at the first attempt as the Ibrox recovery continues.

He said: "If you look at the season overall, there is not much difference between Hibs and Rangers in terms of how they have been.

"If Queen of the South get there, you can't forget them. I have seen them twice this season and they have been excellent. They have played really well in the games I have seen them play.

"It will be a tough task, but it is obviously not beyond Rangers to do [win promotion]. They have got to get up this season. If they don't, you will have reasons why.

"But, in my mind, Rangers have got to want to be in the Premiership. That is where they play. It is going to take time. They are not going to jump into the Premiership and challenge Celtic right away.

"But that is where they should be playing. And, for Scottish football, that is where they should be playing as well."

After easing to the Third Division and League One crowns in the last two seasons, Rangers have found the going far tougher this time out as they have seen the Jambos romp to title glory.

The arrival of McCall last month has sparked a much-needed recovery after a run of form that raised questions over whether Rangers would even reach the play-offs.

And Smith reckons his nine-in-a-row hero will be in pole position to land the manager's job for next season if he can guide the Light Blues back to the Premiership.

He said: "He has taken the job and been bold enough to take it until the end of the season. He will stand by the results he achieves like everyone else over that period.

"I have no idea what the thoughts of the new board are. I don't know what their thinking will be. But if Rangers can get promotion this season then he won't have done his opportunities of getting the job any harm at all."

A return to Scotland's top tier would be another step in the right direction for Rangers as they continue to recover after years of problems on and off the park.

And Smith insists the chance to become Light Blues boss is one every manager would covet as the new board continue the considerable rebuilding job at Ibrox.

He said: "The Rangers job, once it settles down, and I stress it still has to settle down because there is still a lot to be done, it is a job that everyone would want to take.

"The people that are running Rangers at the moment, some of them have been on the board before and know what it takes to run Rangers. They have got to find the way of doing that.

"Who would say Rangers isn't one of the best jobs to take? It is.

"It is a fantastic job and hopefully it will get back to being a fantastic job and one that is not looked upon as a bit of a poisoned chalice."