Yes, writes Graeme Macpherson

NOT even a PR machine spinning furiously like a windmill in a washing machine would surely have the audacity to ever suggest that Rangers’ failure to win promotion last season could be construed as a good thing as it gave them another chance to win the one domestic trophy to so far elude them. Let there be no doubt: everyone at Ibrox wanted to be back in the top division at the first available opportunity and if that meant never again appearing in this competition - open only to those senior clubs outside of the top tier - then all the better.

History shows us, though, that The Journey has been forced on to an unexpected detour. Rangers are still slumming it in the lower leagues for a fourth consecutive season and with it comes another chance to win the Challenge Cup – now rebranded as the Petrofac Training Cup. There are various reasons why they will want to do so.

Firstly, it is because they are not playing especially well just now and a win, and with it a place in the final, will surely help lift sagging spirits. A defeat to St Mirren in Saturday’s semi-final would only drag morale down further and that is the last thing Mark Warburton needs right now.

Secondly, it would be quite remarkable if Rangers were to spend four seasons in the lower leagues and fail to lift his bauble even once. Anyone suggesting they have never been that bothered about it need only think back to last season’s semi-final loss to Alloa, or the previous year’s defeat in the final to Raith Rovers, to see the anguish that caused. Rangers are in no place to be flippant about anything right now. They will be desperate to get their hand on any silverware going.

No, says Graeme McGarry

Whilst no doubt many non-Rangers fans are continuing to enjoy the fact that the Ibrox club have failed to win the tournament in their three previous attempts, it goes without saying that promotion to the Premiership is the be all and end all for Rangers this season.

Cup runs can be a welcome distraction for a club, but given the level of this competition it is probably a distraction that Mark Warburton could do without, although he will diplomatically trot out the line about Rangers going into every match looking to win.

Rightly so, but winning the Petrofac Cup should not come at the expense of giving Hibs further encouragement in the title race. For that reason, I believe that the Rangers manager should be resting key players for the game, giving him the added benefit of giving those on the fringes like Fraser Aird, Nicky Law and Ryan Hardie a chance to prove themselves.

No disrespect to St Mirren, but they are hardly firing on all cylinders themselves just now, and whilst they shouldn’t be taken lightly, a game against the Buddies in the context of this competition presents a wonderful opportunity for Mark Warburton to make use of his squad.

If Rangers were still enjoying the luxury of a sizable lead at the top of the Championship then I’m sure that this game would have their full attention, but in the current situation it is a mere sideshow to the main event of league duty.

If Rangers slip up on Saturday then it will no doubt provide much mirth for Rangers’ rivals in the East End of the city and beyond, but their focus should be on making sure that they have the last laugh in the Championship title-race.