GRAEME MURTY insists he won’t prioritise the pursuit of silverware at the expense of the progression of his Rangers kids.

The 41-year-old started his new role as the Light Blues’ Under-20 boss last week and saw the Ibrox second string go down 1-0 to St Mirren on Tuesday night.

Rangers have not lifted a youth league title for eight years and finished fourth in the standings last term as a number of players headed out on loan.

But Murty knows the experience his players gain is more important than the results they earn as they look to break through into Mark Warburton’s squad.

He told SportTimes: “Listen, I want to win. I am a bear with a sore head if I don’t win and my family will attest to that.

“I said to the players after the St Mirren game that it was about having the belief that they will win.

“It is process they put in place, the principles they adhere to, about them learning and their journey.

“If we can push the journey forward and accelerate them towards their maximum potential, I will get far more gratification from that than a medal.

“Looking at one of our young players making that step, having experience with the first team, coming back and being challenged again and going back into the first team and thriving there, that will give the entire Academy a massive boost.

“That will reenergise the group but we make it clear to the players that they have to be ready to do it. It will not be given to them.

“The first team quality is accelerating and they need to be ready for that increased demand.

“It is up to them, at the end of the day, to go and get one of those first team shirts. How they do that, how they behave on a daily basis, will determine whether they are going to reach that level or not.

“That is what I am interested in. If we make sure their education is right, then I have got broad enough shoulders to accept losing as long as I can see development in the players.”