But as uncertainty and financial strife fracture the club, it remains to be seen how many of Gers' Northern Irish contingent will remain at Ibrox next season.

Steven Davis and Kyle Lafferty are two of seven players who will be seen as bargain buys by other teams due to the release clauses inserted in their contracts in March when they agreed to 70% pay cuts.

Andy Little and David Healy, meanwhile, have reached the end of their deals. Under normal circumstances, it might well have been expected that they would move on to pastures new after making less than regular appearances.

Both have publicly revealed they expect to go and are essentially unemployed at the minute.

Ally McCoist has spoken of his frustration at how slow the wheels are turning in terms of the club's future and he has no authority to sanction any new deals for now.

Gerry Armstrong, though, believes that the Northern Ireland quartet will want to do their bit if it means they can help keep Rangers alive.

"I know all of these lads very, very well," said the former Northern Ireland player and manager and current Sky Sports TV pundit.

"I know how much it means to Steven Davis to be captain of Rangers – it isn't something that he takes lightly. I know for a fact that he regards it as a privilege.

"There is every chance their agents will have the feelers out and will know just what is out there, and for the likes of Steve it might be a problem for Rangers to meet his salary level. But I still maintain that it would be a wrench for him to leave the club."

He added: "Kyle's situation is a bit different. He and Ally have not seen eye to eye in the last few months and that might colour his decision."

Little and Healy were drafted into action towards the end of the season and the former showed a glimpse of promise.

It looked as though a catalogue of niggling injury problems might have wrecked 23-year-old Little's chances of making an impression at Rangers, but Armstrong reckons he would still be capable of doing a job.

So far, Healy's agent has said there has been no contact from the Ibrox side but it looks increasingly likely that he will be moving on.

Armstrong, though, believes that, despite the problems at Rangers, if the club offered them deals, they would take them.

He said: "David and Andy both would stay put if the club offered them the chance to do so. I am sure of it.

"They are both lads who have the club in their heart – they are supporters first and foremost.

"I saw a few games towards the end of the season and I felt Andy showed something. The boy was delighted with his goal against Celtic and he chipped in with a few others too – and the same goes for David.

"He is reaching the end of his career, but has a lot of experience. The club is in his blood and despite the problems, I think he'd take another season, no doubt about it."

Armstrong has been in contact with McCoist to offer his help in any transfer matters, although with the club and the manager currently in limbo nothing will be done imminently on the playing front.

"I have a lot of good contacts in Spanish and Portuguese football and I had offered to try to get a few experienced players over to Ibrox this summer. But that now looks as though it can't happen," he said.

"Trying to prepare for a season under conditions like this is unfathomable. I have never known anything like it.

"Right now, like most, I fear the worst for Rangers."