ALLY MCCOIST is confident Rangers chairman Dave King will back up his words with actions and fund Steven Gerrard’s forays into the transfer market this summer.

The Ibrox chief claimed on Monday that the Light Blues were within ‘tangible reach’ of becoming a ‘dominant force’ in Scottish football.

Gerrard will end his first campaign as Gers boss empty-handed and McCoist knows further investment in the team is required before his former club can consistently challenge for silverware once again.

McCoist said: “It depends how you define ‘tangible reach’ but I would certainly see the dominant force as being the number one team in the country and in all honesty Rangers are a good bit off becoming the dominant force in Scottish football.

“Clearly, I hope it happens sooner rather than later.

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“They can stop 10-in-a-row but a lot of things have to happen. It’s a massive summer for both clubs in terms of transfer activity.

“For Rangers to compete consistently with Celtic at the top of the league they need three or four players. I know they won the Old Firm game at Ibrox and probably should have taken something out of the recent one at Parkhead.

“But Celtic look to me as if they’ve still got better players so how do you compensate that? You need to get better players.

“I would guess Steven Gerrard and Gary McAllister, who are very clever men, would know they’re not as close as maybe Dave has suggested.

“I don’t think Steven Gerrard will be upset at all at the statement. If I was him I would be agreeing with him and saying ‘That’s good, now let’s go and make sure it happens’ but he needs backing and I genuinely think he will be backed.”

It has been a mixed campaign overall for Rangers as they started promisingly and qualified for the Europa League before fading in the second half of the season.

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Gerrard has identified which areas of the team need improving for his second crack at the top flight title. And McCoist hopes there are further deals done sooner rather than later.

He said: “You would have to get Dave to clarify the statement in terms of what he means and how close they are to becoming the dominant force.

“But I still think there’s a good bit to go before Rangers can be anywhere near considered the dominant force in Scottish football. I understand it’s season ticket renewal time so I get all that but I reckon they need three or four players and I don’t know if they’ll take money for Alfredo Morelos or James Tavernier.

“But it’s all very well getting that money but you need to replace them because they’re two of the better players. And then the loan deals are up for Ryan Kent and Joe Worrall and your only chance of getting Kent back - and it would be great if they could do it - is probably on another loan.

“Okay, you’ve got Jordan Jones coming who has been doing well and I watched him for Northern Ireland recently and he did well.”

*’Ally McCoist was speaking at The Emmie Smillie Charity Foundation event at which they donated a whopping £300,000 spread across five charities - Kilbryde Hospice, Beatson Cancer, St Andrew’s Hospice, St Margaret’s Hospice, The Prince and Princess of Wales Hospice and Marie Curie.

Ian Durrant, Alex Rae and Neil Lennon also attended the event.