LEE McCULLOCH is to take over the role of player-coach at Kilmarnock after failing to reach agreement on a backroom position at Rangers.

The 37-year-old was in the dug-out for the Ayrshire club during a friendly match against Berwick Rangers at Shielfield Park yesterday afternoon with his appointment on a three-year contract expected to be made official tomorrow.

“It is not there yet, but everything has virtually been agreed,” said the Kilmarnock manager, Gary Locke. “It is just a case of Lee putting pen to paper and I hope that will be done on Monday morning.

“He will be eligible to play and will bring experience as we are a young side. Most importantly, he will add to the backroom staff and that is the main reason I have brought him in.

“He has a lot to offer in terms of working with the back four.”

The Rugby Park club have been in negotiations with the former Ibrox captain since he became a free agent at the end of last season, but Locke admitted that a deal was on ice as he waited to see whether there was a job behind-the-scenes for him at Murray Park.

David Weir, the assistant boss at Rangers, admitted last week that McCulloch had discussed a role within the academy at the Championship club, but that has not come to fruition.

McCulloch is expected to serve as Locke’s number two with Peter Leven also on the staff as first-team coach. He is joining an exodus from Ibrox to Kilmarnock with Kris Boyd and Stevie Smith having signed contracts there in the wake of being released by Rangers.