STEVEN SMITH is confident a trip across the Atlantic will have Rangers in top shape for the new SPFL Championship campaign.

Ally McCoist's League One champions jet out for a four-game tour of North America on Saturday as preparations continue for the big kick-off.

All of the fixtures are against relatively unknown sides and, while little will be known about the quality of the opposition, former Portland Timbers star Smith insists the time Stateside will prove beneficial for the Light Blues.

"When I first went over there, I was on trial for a week and we played a couple of local teams who weren't bad at all," the full/back told rangers.co.uk

"I don't know anything about the sides we'll be facing at all, but I'm sure they'll be of a decent standard.

"The one thing they will always be is fit and with weather and everything else we'll certainly get a good workout.

"It's something different for us. Last year we went to Germany and we loved it there, but America and Canada are a good alternative.

"We're playing teams over there a lot of people at home won't have heard of, but that doesn't mean they won't test us.

"Everyone wants the glamour ties, but we've played good lower-league sides in Germany before and this will be the same sort of situation here."