Kilmarnock v Rangers: Smith wants players to get plaudits this time

But, in the wake of the personal acclaim he received at Ibrox on Tuesday night, when his club's supporters gave him a standing ovation during a lap of honour following his final home game as manager, Smith is hopeful the plaudits will be handed out to others this weekend.

In the event of Rangers securing the victory at Kilmarnock they need to retain the SPL title, the outgoing manager is adamant it is the players under his command who will be most entitled to bask in the adulation and gratitude of the travelling fans.

"I'm not really into the kind of thing that happened after our game against Dundee United on Tuesday," said Smith, "but it was nice that so many people stayed behind and it did mean a lot to me.

"It was nice for me to get that kind of tribute, but I do feel that since I came back to Rangers, and certainly over the last two and a half years, that the people who deserve most credit are the players.

"As a manager, you could not ask for a better bunch of players to work with. I'm not just saying that, I mean it. They have worked under very difficult circumstances. The club has been up for sale, they have all been up for sale, contracts of their team-mates have been allowed to expire and others have been sold. Yet they have retained a terrific level of professionalism.

"Without doubt, that has been the main reason we have enjoyed a level of success. Managers to contribute to success, but these players have really delivered.

"So while I had my wee night on Tuesday, I hope Sunday is all about these players. I'm clearly biased, but I do believe they deserve any success that comes their way and that they will be deserving champions if we win the game."

Smith also hopes the current Rangers squad will be afforded the appropriate level of respect if they can see the job through and claim a third consecutive championship triumph.

To put the feat into perspective, prior to Rangers winning nine titles in a row during Smith's first period in charge during the 1990s, the last time an Ibrox side lifted three on the trot was under Bill Struth from 1933-35 inclusive.

"Over the last few years, I've heard pundits and even some former Rangers players saying that this is a poor Rangers team," observed Smith.

"But while we may have been short of the kind of iconic figures some Rangers teams have had down through history, I don't think this group of players have received the credit they deserve for their abilities.

"If they do manage to win on Sunday, then getting three in a row would be an achievement that not a lot of the players who have played for Rangers through the years managed to achieve."

While his team are short odds-on favourites to cross the finishing line ahead of Celtic tomorrow, Smith remains wary of the spanner Kilmarnock could yet throw into the works of a campaign which has contained no shortage of unexpected twists.

"When Celtic lost in Inverness a couple of weeks ago, we were given an opportunity I didn't think would present itself," he said. "We were left with a situation where we had to win three games to win the title, now we are down to one. There are going to be pressure and nerves involved on Sunday. You would be lying if you said that wasn't the case and we need to handle that on Sunday.

"Our performances at Rugby Park this season have not been great, although we managed to win there both in the SPL and League Cup. Kilmarnock made it tough for us on both occasions and we will need to cope with that again.

"Kilmarnock have played very well this season and while the table may not reflect it, I can assure you we get a real level of competitiveness from every team we play at this stage of the season and have to overcome it.

"I know if someone was turning up at Ibrox to win a championship, I would be wanting to make sure they didn't. So Kilmarnock will feel the same about us at their place on Sunday.

"It has been the same for us at Tannadice and Easter Road when we have clinched the title in the previous two seasons. No-one is going to make it easy for us and it will be the same on Sunday."

While Kilmarnock will be without key men Alexei Eremenko and Jamie Hamill through suspension, Smith has the luxury of being in a position to name an unchanged side for the fifth successive match if he wishes.

Nikica Jelavic, who took his goals tally for the season to 18 in 23 starts with the opener in Tuesday's 2-0 win over Dundee United, has been a key figure in recent weeks and has illustrated why Smith gambled the bulk of his transfer budget last summer on the Croatian international striker.

The player has informed media in his homeland this week that Manchester United are interested in acquiring his services for next season, something which came as news to Smith.

"Sir Alex (Ferguson) hasn't spoken to me about him," said Smith. "It seems to have come from Nikica's agent who has told the player and who has then told someone back in Croatia. I don't know anything about it. I do know that he has been terrific for us and we have one more game for him to be terrific again this season."