STEVE SIMONSEN spurned the chance to be a No.1 keeper both north and south of the border to rejoin Rangers.

The veteran shot-stopper has penned a new one-year deal at Ibrox after turning out for Ally McCoist's side in a bounce game win over Fulham on Thursday.

Simonsen made just two appearances for the Light Blues last season, impressing in a League One clash at Forfar and then enduring a nightmare afternoon against Dundee United in the Scottish Cup.

But he admits he is delighted to be back as he gets set to provide back-up to Cammy Bell in the Championship next term.

Simonsen said: "A few clubs in England and Scotland got in touch, but as soon as the manager expressed his interest in bringing me back here again it was a non-competition.

"I could have gone somewhere else as the No.1, but I'm delighted to be back and I'm looking forward to working with Cammy again."

Rangers jet out Stateside today for a four-game tour of America and Canada as preparations continue for their shot at Championship glory.

And midfielder Nicky Law is confident the champions will fire out of the traps when the action starts.

"For the first month or so, we relied only on the lads who had been here the season before and it was a strange situation," he told rangers.co.uk

"This year the manager knows that come the first competitive fixtures, he'll be playing the team he wants to and we'll be a lot more settled.

"At times last year we underachieved and weren't at our best but there's no space for that now. We need to be on our game every week."