IF I was doing a report card on Rangers this season, you would have to put on it ‘greatly improved’. And that is down to Steven Gerrard.

We know Rangers have got to win silverware, of course we do, but sometimes you have to walk before you can run and Steven has certainly made progress in his first term at Ibrox, and as a boss.

That 12 months will have been invaluable for Steven. He has played everyone home and away, he knows the strengths and weaknesses, the style of play, the grounds and all that experience will help him.

Over the last couple of years, it was all about the ‘C’ word for Rangers. They were well beaten in the Old Firm games and so far adrift of Celtic in the Premiership.

This season it has been consistency. That is the only thing that Rangers have lacked and the reason that Steven hasn’t won the league or one of the cups.

Rangers have beaten Celtic twice this season and they should have taken something at Parkhead, so the players have proven that they can handle the Old Firm games.

What they need to do going forward is produce those results against the other team and do it week after week after week.

Right throughout the season – starting from Aberdeen away – there have been games that they should have won and didn’t and late goals were really damaging.

Look at St Johnstone at Ibrox, away to Livingston and Dundee, the matches with Hibernian. It is all ifs, buts and maybes, but it shows the margins were fine this season.

Celtic haven’t had a great season, but look at the number of times they have left it late or won games when they weren’t playing well. That is what we have got to learn to do.

The attitude in the Old Firm games was spot on and you couldn’t ask for any more effort or anything else. They were different class.

Steven has come from a culture in Liverpool that is the same as Rangers. You are there to win things and he has that mentality every day.

Last season, we were three points behind Aberdeen and third. This time, we are 14 points clear of them and just six behind Celtic.

So there has been a massive shift there for Rangers and that is progress. But it is not good enough long-term and that is why they need to improve again next season because second won’t do at Ibrox.

Steven Gerrard and Gary McAllister aren’t up here to finish second to anyone. They are here to do a job to get Rangers back where they belong and that is winning leagues and cups.

The experience of this season will certainly stand them in good stead and you are now looking at a couple of quality additions to make a real difference for Rangers next term.

The supporters are happy with Steven, there is no doubt about that. The crowds have been fantastic and renewals for next year are already well ahead, which is great to see.

There are areas where we should have done better, of course there are. The two cup games with Aberdeen were a huge disappointment and a lot of people will think that Rangers could actually have won the Premiership this season.

We have said a few times that it will happen next time for Rangers. But, genuinely, when you look at how we have finished the season and the progress that Steven has made, you have to be excited.

Rangers have to strengthen now and if Steven can get the three or four additions in that he wants, he will give the supporters something to really get behind next season.