DANNY WILSON admits Rangers’ cup clash with Hibernian will be a marker of where Mark Warburton’s side are when they start the campaign at Easter Road this month.

The Light Blues head to the Capital for the Petrofac Training Cup first round tie on July 25 as Warburton faces a tough bow as boss.

Rangers will then host Peterhead in the first round of the League Cup the following weekend before facing St Mirren at Ibrox on August 8 as they begin their Championship title challenge.

Alan Stubbs’ side will be the Gers’ main rivals for the second tier crown this term and Wilson is relishing an early season trip to Leith as the Light Blues bid to hit the ground running this term.

He said: “If we want to go far in the cup I’m sure we would have faced them at some point.

“It’s the first game of the season and one we can all look forward to. It will be a good marker for us.

“Regardless of the result, it won’t tell the full story for the season ahead, but it’s a good game for us.

“Hibs are a big team to play in this cup so it’s one to look forward to.

“Ideally you’ll like a few games before getting in to them but it’s something we’ll need to deal with and meet the challenge head on.

“I’m sure I’ll get a good reception [at Easter Road], I always do!”

Boss Warburton and assistant David Weir have spent the last fortnight putting the Ibrox squad through their paces ahead of the big kick-off.

Rangers will spend the coming days in London and face a Tottenham Hotspur side in a behind-closed-doors clash as preparations for the new campaign are stepped up.

Time is of the essence for Warburton as he bids to build his squad and get his message across to his players.

And Wilson hopes the tough schedule will stand Rangers in good stead when the season gets underway later this month.

He said: “It’s been hard. We’ve done a few triple sessions already. We work hard but it all has to be related to the way we want to play.

“It’s all about preparing for the games.

“It’s similar to last year. The manager has his own ideas he wants to get across but we are all enjoying it and looking forward to getting our first game under our belts on Friday.

“We felt it at times last season. It’s the way some managers like to work. It’s intense but it has to be intense for a reason.

“It’s not just going out and battering it just for the sake of it. That’s what the manager is trying to get across. We are here to work to our maximum.”