TED McMINN will be torn by split loyalties on Saturday night when hometown team Queen of the South take on his boyhood heroes Rangers.

But the Tin Man believes it will be the Light Blues who will be taking the yellow brick road to the top flight in what will be their toughest test in the Premiership play-offs.

McMinn was brought up in Dumfries and used to sneak in at half-time for free to follow Queens as a kid before signing for the Doonhamers in 1982.

However, Rangers were always his first love, and it was the best moment of his life when he moved to Ibrox for £100,000 in 1984 and became a cult hero of the fans for his often eccentric and unpredictable style.

Although he only spent three years in Govan after falling foul of Graeme Souness, he enjoyed a good career in England with Derby, Birmingham and Burnley after a year in Spain with Jock Wallace at Sevilla, and it is Rangers that remain closest to his heart.

The 52-year-old, who had to deal with the horror of having his lower right leg amputated nine years ago after an unusual infection, is thrilled that Queens have made their mark this season and have the potential to return to the top division for the first time in 51 years.

But as a Rangers supporter, he is desperate to see the Light Blues fully recover from the carnage of the past four years and get back to where he feels they belong.

McMinn said: "It's a hard one to call. Hopefully Rangers go there and there is a second leg to play for. It will be hard for Stuart McCall to take his team there and shut up shop because can they keep a clean sheet?

"I watched the Hibs game at Easter Road a couple of weeks ago and they were fantastic - especially Lee Wallace. Then my mate texted me after last Sunday's Hearts game and said that the substitutions cost them the game.

"Hearts have had their feet off the gas since they won the league and when they came to Ibrox last month half of them looked as if they were on the beach in Marbella.

"But they still managed to score against Rangers. So while Rangers seem sharper than they were, I don't think it will be easy at Palmerston.

"I remember watching Ally McCoist's last game at Palmerston and Queens won 2-0, and then Stuart took the team down there and they lost 3-0. I turned off after the second goal went in.

"I don't know if it's the 3G pitch or not, but Rangers don't seem to like it down there. I read the other day that Stuart says Rangers won't train on an artificial surface ahead of Saturday's game and I find that surprising."

Although still based in Derby, McMinn has witnessed first-hand the difficulties Rangers have faced this season which now means they have to beat Queens, Hibs and then, probably Motherwell, to get back up.

He said: "I was up at the Alloa game last November and there were only about 20,000 there, and it reminded me of the 1980s when we were having a bad time and the crowds were even lower.

"I didn't realise how bad it was although I knew that there were boycotts going on over the old board. But hopefully this Saturday will be the beginning of their return to the big time.

"You know what will happen if Rangers get back up - especially if the club is moving forward on and off the park - the fans will come flooding back.

"It was same back in 1986 when Souness came in. We were playing to 13,000 and then we went up to full houses."