SIR ALEX FERGUSON has defended Ally McCoist’s reign as Rangers boss and insisted the Light Blue legend did a ‘fantastic’ job at Ibrox.

McCoist lead the Gers to two successive titles in the Third Division and League One after becoming a figurehead for the club through their off-field troubles.

But he couldn’t complete the recovery and guide Rangers back to Scotland’s top tier as a series of poor performances and results amid more boardroom unrest saw him leave the dugout in December.

Rangers are now back on track on and off the park with a new board in place and manager Mark Warburton at the helm alongside assistant David Weir.

It has been an encouraging start to the campaign at Ibrox but former Gers player Ferguson insists McCoist’s service shouldn’t be criticised.

He said: “I don’t know Mark Warburton but he has come with a great resume from his job at Brentford, he done a fantastic job down there.

“He has got the experience of being at Rangers with David Weir, I think that is a good combination. They have had a fantastic start.

“There was a lot of criticism pointed towards Ally McCoist during his time at Rangers.

“You know something, I thought Ally McCoist did a fantastic job under undue pressure and no-one, unless they have been in that position, knows exactly how hard it was.

“I have no criticism about Ally McCoist. I am pleased that Rangers are looking to step forward from the bad experiences of a few years.”

The new look side that Warburton and Weir have assembled have won their first four games of the campaign as they have seen off Hibernian, Peterhead, St Mirren and Alloa in stunning style so far this term.

The arrival of a host of summer signings and implementation of a fresh football approach have given the Ibrox crowd plenty to cheer and be optimistic about so far.

Rangers are firm favourites to win the Championship crown at the second time of asking this season but Ferguson knows more hard work will lie ahead sooner rather than later.

“I would imagine there is a team to get you out of that division and there is a team to challenge for the Premier League,” he told Radio Clyde.

“It is a stepping stone. What they have achieved at the moment can only get them into the Premier Division.

“Being in the Premier Division is an entirely different aspect all together and I am sure the Rangers board will recognise the need to invest and make sure they have a team that can challenge Celtic and possibly win the Premier Division.”