FOUR former Rangers players will return to the club this summer as part of an academy reshuffle.

The club announced on Wednesday that Peter Lovenkrands, Andy Little, Brian Gilmour and Stephen Wright will join the Ibrox coaching staff in various roles.

Fan favourite Lovenkrands will join in a part-time capacity to work with a youth team in the intermediate phase after recently completing his UEFA A Licence.

Former striker Little will join the Children's Academy, also working part-time to help develop footballers aged 8-10.

Ex-academy graduate Gilmour joins as a coach with the intermediate academy after working in a Scottish FA Perfformance School, while Wright will head up that department as Head of Intermediate Academy and School Coach. 

Meanwhile, Graeme Murty will take on the additional role as Head of Academy Coaching alongside his current position as the club's Development Squad coach. 

A club statement said: "This new role will see him (Murty) manage the academy coaching phases from a technical perspective and take a major role in the development of the academy coaches and curriculum across all ages.

The club will be introducing a concept called ‘Rangers Performance Coaching Culture’ which will look at coach education and development, coach behaviours, coach action plans, coach mentoring and will use a range of new ideas to accelerate the development of the academy’s coaches. Graeme will implement this new initiative."

In addition to the new arrivals, some existing staff will take on new roles. Billy Kirkwood will assist Murty with the Development Squad and take specific charge of the process of loaning players out to gain first team experience.

Alan Boyd takes over as Head of Children's Academy and David McCallum becomes Head of Senior Academy to manage the 16s and 17s age groups.

Head of Academy, Craig Mulholland, told rangers.co.uk: “Rangers Performance Coaching Culture is another exciting initiative we have been working on for some time. 

"Graeme will lead the project along with the new heads of each Academy phase.  It is a great time for the new coaches to be joining us as they will, alongside some top existing staff, be challenged to become experts in their field. 

"I know the young players will be excited to be working with ex-Rangers players however they are joining the Academy, not as a consequence of being ex-players, but because we believe they have the qualities, potential and attributes which will assist us in taking our Academy coaching to a new level.”