JOHN GILLIGAN admits the success of the Murray Park youth system is ‘massively important’ to Rangers as the club look to achieve the ‘dream’ model and produce their own stars of the future.

The Light Blues have trained up a string of top talents from their Auchenhowie base over the years and Head of Academy Craig Mulholland has set ambitious targets for his staff and players to achieve.

Rangers hope they can become one of the top ranked systems in Europe as they look to rear their own players that can take them back to the top of Scottish football and back into continental competition.

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Winger Barrie McKay is the shining example for the next crop of kids to follow as he has returned to Ibrox from loan spells at Morton and Raith Rovers and become a key player with Mark Warburton’s side this term.

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And Light Blues director Gilligan is confident Rangers can build on the successes they have already had at youth level to bring another tranche of young players through the ranks.

He told the ‘Talking Football’ show on RockSport Radio: “Sometimes I think it is a bit unfair when you look at some of the boys.

“Charlie Adam [went for] millions of pounds, Chris Burke [went for] millions of pounds, Ross McCormack, Alan Hutton, Allan McGregor, we are a bit sore on ourselves sometimes. Unfortunately, we didn’t get most of that money.

“When you look at the production line up there, credit is due to the people working there. Over the years we have produced a lot of really good players.

“At the moment, we have got Barrie coming through and he is doing so well for us.

“The manager encourages young players. He is giving them their chance and giving them games, which is great for the club.

“It is massively important for every club. Everyone keeps talking about it and you look at the dream model of Barcelona or Man Utd with the famous players coming through the academy.

“It is a dream for us and it is an aspiration. You must bring through young players.”