Smith: 'I'm ready to play at Parkhead'
Steven Smith admits he would love to cap his return to the Rangers first team by playing his part against Celtic in Wednesday’s crunch Old Firm derby.
The left-back, 22, ended 16 months of misery when he made his long-awaited return from injury in yesterday’s Scottish Cup win over Partick Thistle.
The quarter-final replay – which Rangers won 2-0 thanks to goals from Nacho Novo and Chris Burke – was Smith’s first match since the 1-1 draw with Celtic back in December 2006.
Now fully recovered from the pelvic problems which caused the lengthy absence from action, he is hoping for another crack at the Hoops.
“Hopefully I’m involved,” he said.
“I want to show the manager that I’m ready to play again and hopefully I did a bit (against Partick) to prove that.
“I think everybody was getting a bit annoyed me with moaning and saying how desperate I was to play.
“I’m delighted to be back and hopefully I’ve given the manager another option.”
Rangers remain in the hunt for three more trophies this season after clinching the CIS Insurance Cup last month.
Defender Smith hopes the number of games still to come means everyone will be given the opportunity to contribute to any further success.
He added: “That’s the positive for everyone in the squad.
“Everyone has to be on their toes because there are too many games for the manager to pick the same starting 11.
“The boys who haven’t been playing need to keep sharp and, if they come in, take their chance.”
A win against Celtic would provide Rangers with a seven-point lead at the summit of the SPL with two games in hand.
But Smith insisted: “I don’t think it’s over until it’s mathematically impossible.
“It would give us a great advantage but it’s going to be a difficult game. We know what we are going to get from Celtic.”
