JIMMY NICHOLL admits he thought the chance to work at Rangers again had passed him by before he was appointed as Graeme Murty’s assistant.

The 61-year-old clinched a dream return to Ibrox last week and is with the Light Blues squad in Florida ahead of their matches with Atletico Mineiro and Corinthians.

Nicholl stepped down from his position at Falkirk to become Murty’s right hand man after he was named as boss until the end of the campaign.

Read more: Jamie Murphy relieved his dream move to Rangers didn't fall through at the eleventh hour

And the Northern Irishman is delighted to be back at the club as he gets down to business in Light Blue once again.

Nicholl said: “It made an old man very happy. Without doubt I thought this opportunity had passed me by.

“I always believe I am lucky. I was lucky when Michael O’Neill invited me into Northern Ireland when they were top of their group.

“You normally get the shout when things aren’t going so well. Michael took me in and told me he just wanted me about the place.

“Paul Hartley went to Falkirk and asked if I would come and help him. Brilliant – things just fall like that for me.

“Suddenly I was getting back into the swing of things of full-time football with Paul and Alex Smith at Falkirk and then I got the phone call that Graeme has the job would I like to come? “It is brilliant because at this stage of your career everything has passed you by. But I am here now and what can I offer?

“Paul was my first thought when I was asked the question. Paul had given me an opportunity to get back in full-time.

“I was three years just doing my Northern Ireland stuff. I never saw 7 in the morning for three years.

“Suddenly I was up at 6.30am and at Falkirk for 7am. Your whole life just changes.

“You think great and because they had given me that opportunity it was hard to walk away from it.

“Paul and the people at Falkirk were great with me and they understood. Now I am here and we will need to see what I can offer.”

Read more: Jamie Murphy relieved his dream move to Rangers didn't fall through at the eleventh hour

Nicholl has spent recent years working alongside Northern Ireland boss Michael O’Neill but he is now back at the club where he spent two spells as a player.

Murty insisted this week that the decision was an easy one to make and Nicholl hopes he can add his experience to the mix at Ibrox in the coming months.

He said: “When Graeme got the job and I read he was looking for somebody experienced to come in.

“I never gave it a second thought because you immediately think of other people.

“I know there are thousands of people who 1) would love this position and 2) would be asking how the hell did he get it?

“I know that there will be negativity around my appointment. I have been given this opportunity and for whatever reason I have been asked to come in and help whenever I can. I will wait and see what it is.

“It was the same when I went in with Michael. The team were top of the group and the coaches, Stevie Robinson and Austin MacPhee, were in place.

“So you just have to sit back because you are not just going to walk in and say: ‘I can’t believe you are doing that or that is the worst session ever!’ because whatever they were doing it was right because they were top of their group.

“You just need to see what your part is in the set-up. I went into the hotel in Belfast and joined them for a coffee then you become the go-between between the manager and the players.

“You get to know the players socially then you get into the football side of things. You then add things – you don’t hammer people for mistakes.”