DAVE KING has hailed the ‘phenomenal’ response from Rangers fans this summer after more than 21,000 supporters renewed their season tickets ahead of the deadline this week.

The Light Blues chairman set an ambitious target of selling 45,000 season books for the upcoming campaign that will see Rangers look to clinch the Ladbrokes Championship title at the second time of asking.

But the Gers are now well on course to shift a significant amount of briefs after the uptake surpassed initial expectations in recent weeks and left the Ibrox ticket office ‘inundated’ with forms.

And King has thanked fans for stepping up and playing their part in the Ibrox rebuilding job this summer as the board and new manager Mark Warburton look to restore the club to their former glory on and off the park.

He said: “It has been really encouraging for the new board to witness this phenomenal response from the club’s supporters in advance of what is going to be the most significant season for the team in recent years.

“This early uptake confirms the remarkable strength of feeling Rangers fans have for their club.

“We have already had significant improvements in the club’s fortunes off the pitch and we now look forward to a similar outcome on the pitch.”

Rangers will announce details of a public sale shortly as they look to entice thousands of supporters back to Ibrox after a high-profile boycott against the former regime and poor product on the park saw fans stay away in their droves last season.

The appointment of Warburton and David Weir as the new management team has given fans a shot in the arm ahead of the big kick-off.

Defenders Danny Wilson and Rob Kiernan have been added to the Gers squad already and Warburton remains in the market for more reinforcements as he bids to bolster a threadbare squad.

Rangers returned to pre-season action at the weekend and are preparing for their Petrofac Training Cup-tie with Hibernian on Saturday, July 25.

The first-round clash will be screened live on BBC Alba and kick-off has been brought forward to 12.30pm at Easter Road.

Rangers will discover their opponents for the League Cup first round fixture the following weekend when the draw is made at Hampden on Monday.

Those ties are scheduled for Saturday, August 1. Warburton will then make his league bow as boss when St Mirren visit Ibrox on the opening day of the Championship campaign on August 8.