NEIL MELLOR reckons Steven Gerrard’s winning mentality will ensure he delivers silverware success to Rangers.

The former Liverpool striker was a team-mate of Gerrard’s at Anfield for several years and then saw the Reds legend take his first steps into management at youth level.

Gerrard was left frustrated and empty-handed this season as Rangers were beaten by Aberdeen in both cup competitions and finished nine points adrift of Celtic in the Premiership title race.

But an impressive run in the Europa League and two Old Firm wins have given supporters belief heading into his second season.

And Mellor shares that optimism as the new campaign approaches.

Speaking exclusively to AmericanGambler.com, he said: “I always believed that Steven Gerrard would make a success of himself whatever he wanted to do, because that’s the person he was as a player.

“He had that desire, that mentality to succeed and he did throughout his career. I’m not surprised to see that he’s giving management a go, I watched him as a youth coach at Liverpool with the U18s and what I loved the most about Stevie was giving the boys the winning mentality.

“They drew 2-2 with Newcastle U18s and he could quite easily have said ‘don’t worry boys, never mind’, but he said ‘That’s not good enough for Liverpool.

“If you don’t win the game, that’s not good enough’ and it was something that the boys were learning – drawing a game is not good enough for Liverpool.

“You have to win games, and he was instilling the winning mentality into the young boys and no doubt he has taken that up to Rangers as well. They’re competing with Celtic, which has been a while for Rangers but I’m hoping that he can be a success and deliver a trophy or two.”