IT is the final countdown for Rangers. The game that has been the subject of so much talk in the last few weeks is finally the next one on the agenda.

There has been little at stake during the Gers’ recent outings as they have rounded off the Championship campaign and their time in the lower leagues of Scottish football.

It has hardly been a finish with a flourish but a handful of sluggish performances and a fistful of dropped points will be forgotten if Mark Warburton’s side lift the Scottish Cup on May 21.

Rangers will head to Hampden on the back of a poor run of form, the defeats to Hibernian and Livingston and draws against Alloa and St Mirren hardly ideal preparation for a game of such significance.

But boss Warburton now has time on his side to ensure the Light Blues are in the right shape mentally and physically for their biggest 90 minutes of the campaign.

Having already clinched the Championship crown and lifted the Petrofac Training Cup, only a prolonged break and Hibs stand in Rangers’ way of a unique and unexpected Treble this term.

And defender Danny Wilson is confident the Ibrox squad won’t mind the gap as they count down the days to their return to action and a shot at Hampden glory.

He said: "We were well aware of it from the outset. Plans have been put in place for the next couple of weeks as to how we'll prepare for it. We just need to do the best we can.

“Ideally you'd like to be playing games but we wanted to be winners of the Championship and be in the cup final so with that we knew there'd be this break.

“The break might actually help us. We've had a succession of games and maybe a wee break might let us mentally focus on the final.

"It could be viewed that way. But we wanted to be playing at this stage and we can't use them as excuses, being physically and mentally tried.

“We've a cup final to win and we're not going to be looking for excuses before we get there. We just want to make sure our preparation's right and that we turn up and do the best we can.

"It's a situation I've never been in so it's a situation where I'm not sure what to expect. We want to be in the final, we've done our work to get there.

“Motivation and our physical state shouldn't come into it - we've two trophies and this is our chance to get another one. We were talking about our aims at the start of the season and this is exactly where we wanted to be.”

While Rangers only have the Scottish Cup silverware in their sights this month, their final rivals face a series of crunch fixtures as they look to end the campaign on a high note.

Alan Stubbs’ side meet Raith Rovers in the Premiership play-offs this week as they look to set up a double-header with Falkirk and take another step towards the top flight.

Neither squad has the ideal build-up for the showpiece finale to the season but Wilson insists the Gers won’t focus on Hibs’ promotion ambitions or their hopes of lifting the Scottish Cup for the first time since 1902.

He said: "It's difficult to say what the best way is. It's a unique situation - there's no way of knowing whether it's beneficial to have a break or play more games.

“It can work either way. I think we'll know more after the final.

“It's never ideal to have that length of break, but I'm sure with the preparations we have got in place we'll be more than ready for it.

"There is a hoodoo, but they also have the chance to get rid of it if they win the cup. It could turn out to be a good season for them if they win the Cup and win promotion through the play-offs.

“We don't focus too much on Hibs - we have a chance to win our third trophy of the season."

If Rangers can go all the way and lift the silverware at Hampden, it would transform a good season into a great one for Warburton and his players.

It has been a memorable campaign to date as the newly assembled Ibrox squad have been presented with two medals and turned in a series of impressive performances.

Now Wilson is determined there will be another reason to celebrate as he looks to complete his own collection and help Rangers to cup success at the National Stadium.

He said: "It's a big thing for the fans and the players too. It's one of the big trophies up here and we have got a chance to go and win it.

“If that doesn't motivate you, then you shouldn't be playing here. We've done the work to get there, but the final step will be to win the cup and that's the most important thing.

"I've never played in a Scottish Cup final - I've got a winners medal, but I was only on the bench. For me, it's nice to have, but I would rather have won it by being on the pitch.

“It was Rangers v Queen of the South. I've not played in one yet and would love to play on the actual day and say I've done my bit.

“My last cup final was Hearts v St Mirren, so that wasn't a good day. Cup finals are fantastic when you win them, but they are really sore if you lose them. So hopefully, this will be a good memory for me."