LEWIS MACLEOD hopes to be back in action in time for pre-season training after being floored by a virus and spending several months on the sidelines.

The Rangers midfielder missed the culmination of the League One campaign as his fledgling career ground a halt but has now set his sights on a summer return.

Macleod is still waiting for the final all-clear from doctors but has been able to do some light training at the Gers' Murray Park base as his thoughts turn to the Championship next term.

"I've been training for the last two weeks, just keeping myself ticking over," Macleod told rangers.co.uk

"I was down in Chester the week before that and got some tests done.

"The results I think were positive so I'm just actually waiting on the official report to be sent up to confirm everything and what I'm meant to be doing.

"It's looking like I should be back in pre-season and I would be absolutely delighted if that was the case.

"It was a huge relief when I actually went down and got the tests done and I felt good after it. To get that news was brilliant for me and I'm just looking forward now to the new season."

"I've just got to train as much as I can. All the boys have been given programs and we've got to work by them and do the runs and what not that's on them.

"For myself I just need to keep ticking over because I don't know if I will get straight into everything the boys are doing when I am back.

"But if I can get as fit as I can then I will be more than happy.

"I think the last two seasons have been fairly positive for me bar for the fact I've been injured for three months in both of them. Hopefully, this new season I can be injury-free."