ALLY McCOIST hailed his title- winning stars as Rangers wrapped up the League One crown in style at Ibrox.

The Light Blues clinched their second consecutive championship as a Lee McCulloch hat-trick inspired them to a 3-0 victory over Airdrie to move them 26 points clear of second-placed Dunfermline.

Rangers have dropped just four points on their way to the title and became the first club in Scotland to be crowned champions as they cruised over the line in front of a packed Ibrox crowd.

McCoist said: "We are absolutely delighted, not only to wrap the title up, but to do it in the manner we did last night. The first half, in particular, was really pleasing. We are thrilled for all the staff, the players and the supporters.

"It has been a terrific league campaign and I thought we finished it well.

"It is certainly an achievement to win the title. It is one we set out to do and needed to do as part of the journey back. 26 wins from 28 games, with two draws, I think that is a good achievement.

"Dunfermline have done well because we might even have won it earlier with statistics like that.

"The players deserve an enormous amount of credit. It has been a great night for them and the supporters."

Gers have now completed the first two steps on their journey back to Scotland's top tier after they added the League One crown to last season's Third Division title.

McCoist's side were huge favourites to lift the silverware before a ball was kicked this term and they have lived up to their billing with a series of superb displays to romp to title glory.

And the Ibrox boss has urged his stars to savour the moment as they bid to end the campaign on a high and land a potential treble that could also see them lift the Ramsdens Cup and Scottish Cup.

He said: "Winning things is a wonderful feeling, no matter what it is and where it is.

"These are all championships that we have to win if we want to get back to where we want to be in the top flight.

"These are stages in our recovery which must be met. It is only fair that they should be celebrated and enjoyed as you would winning any league. There are a lot of boys in there who are winning their first league.

"The majority of players will go through their careers and not win leagues.

"A lot of players have won their first league and good on them for doing that. They are well within their rights to enjoy it and we will make sure they do."

With the League One title now secure, McCoist can start planning for life in the Championship next season as he looks to continue Rangers' rapid rise back through the Scottish league ladder.

The Gers are now just one season away from a return to the Premiership and the Gers boss said: "The Championship could, and hopefully will, be a great league next year with some of the teams that will be in it. We are certainly planning for that.

"Hopefully we can look to strengthen and continue to build, not only for the championship but for the years after that."