BERT KONTERMAN has urged Rangers fans to remain patient this term as boss Mark Warburton looks to build for a brighter future at Ibrox.

The Light Blues are seven points off the pace in the Premiership title race and face Celtic in the Betfred Cup semi-finals this weekend.

Another Old Firm defeat would pile the pressure on boss Warburton as he looks to recover from a poor start to the campaign.

But former Ibrox stopper Konterman believes the Englishman won’t be under the same scrutiny from the stands as some of his predecessors.

He told SportTimes: “I think at our time it was more important to recover from the Old Firm defeat than it is now and that has a lot to do with what has happened over the last few years.

“Rangers were in a lower division and now they are back and everyone is looking to see where they are at this moment.

“You can’t compare the team with the team from 2008 or that won the league after that. It is too early for that.

“It is time to settle down again, to get some consistency at the club and to build on good foundations for the coming years.

“If they should lose, it is not a disaster. They are just back in the Premiership and I think the fans understand that.

“But I know the emotion that this match brings and everybody is hoping that they will beat Celtic. Of course it is possible.

“I think there is more patience in the fans than there was when I played. It is important the team give the fans a good feeling but if they are patient it will come.”