LEE McCULLOCH is confident the future is bright for Rangers as the next group of Murray Park kids look to make the breakthrough into the Ibrox first team.

The likes of Fraser Aird and Lewis Macleod have been standout performers for Ally McCoist's side in the last two years but will have to up their game once again when the Gers bid for the Championship title next time out.

Forward Calum Gallagher became the latest Light Blue protege to showcase his talents towards the end of the League One campaign.

And skipper McCulloch has hailed the club's youth coaches for turning out a series of top young talents as he backs the Gers kids to shine on the big stage.

He said: "Fraser Aird has improved his goal tally from last year which is brilliant as he needs to keep improving and I know he will.

"He's still only 19 and the expectation levels on him are a wee bit scary at times when you think about how young he is and people expect him to play well week in, week out.

"It's been the same for all the young players but they cope ever so well with that pressure.

"I think our youth department has come in for a bit of unceccessary stick sometimes but the work Jim Sinclair, Gordon Durie, Billy Kirkwood and the other coaches do is terrific.

"When the boys come around to train with the first team you can't help but be impressed with the way they conduct themselves, the way they train and the knowledge they have about the game, it's fantastic."