MARK WARBURTON hopes his new Rangers recruits will revel in their first experience of Ibrox when his side face Annan.

The Gers kicked off their campaign with a 2-0 win over Motherwell on Saturday and will now bid for their second Betfred Cup success when they return to home soil tonight.

Summer signings Matt Gilks, Clint Hill, Lee Hodson, Niko Kranjcar, Joey Barton and Josh Windass will all feature for Warburton’s side against their League Two visitors.

And the Englishman reckons it will be an occasion to saviour as they get the backing of the Light Blue legions at Ibrox for the first time.

Warburton said: “Absolutely, although it won’t be the normal Ibrox crowd [tonight] but the new boys will experience that in the first league game of the season or maybe even against Burnley.

“But there will still be a good turn out and it’ll help the players to get accustomed to the stadium and the playing surface.

“We have two home games before Burnley come up so we’ll make sure everyone has that experience.

“You don’t realise at first that there’s a third tier. When you’re on the touchline and you look behind you see the director’s box and then there’s another level above that as well.

“When you walk round the far side you understand the sheer size of it. It’s a proper football ground.

“Even the golfers at last week’s Callaway do commented on the size and scale of the arena. It’s a fantastic play to play football and the surface is in excellent shape.

“When we go for our pre-match meal we walk up the marble staircase and we walk down past the various caps and badges and the history of the place.

“So the players experience that and they have a look in the Blue Room and the Trophy Room and the Family Lounge so they’re well aware of the history.

“What we need to do now is get their photographs up there. We did it last year by winning the Championship and the Petrofac Training Cup but we need more pictures up on those walls. That means winning trophies and league titles.”