Rangers supporters will heed Walter Smith’s appeal to give Kenny Miller a chance in his second spell at the club, according to fans’ spokesman David Edgar.

During the closing stages of last season, some Rangers supporters regularly voiced their displeasure at the prospective signing of Miller, who played under Dick Advocaat in 2000-01 and also had a spell at rivals Celtic before he returned to Glasgow earlier this month from Derby County, whom he joined in January.

Before the 28-year-old signed a three-year contract for a fee thought to be around £1.9m, Edgar, of the Rangers Supporters Trust, claimed the Scotland striker would be a “deeply unpopular” arrival.
Over the weekend, Smith, the Rangers manager, acknowledged that some fans were disgruntled over the arrival of Miller but asked them to reserve judgment.

In response, Edgar said that Smith’s standing among the support would ensure Miller gets their backing - in the short term at least.

“The fans will back Walter Smith’s judgment even though a section of them don’t particularly like Miller,” Edgar said. “They accept that Walter has the right to bring in the players that he wants to bring in.

“Walter is a very popular manager who has earned the respect of the fans and if he says Kenny Miller will improve the team then the fans will go along with that.

“Kenny will get the opportunity to turn the fans around but it was an unpopular signing and it would be naive to think otherwise.

“It has nothing to do with him being an ex-Celtic player. The fans are simply not keen on Kenny Miller and he will need to get off to a good start. I’m sure Kenny Miller himself knows how the fans feel about his arrival. And in many ways you have to hand it to him, he must have a strong character.

“He is aware of the feelings of the fans but it doesn’t appeared to have affected him. But it is up to him to prove himself. He has to get the fans onside by delivering the goods.

“I think he will get a low-key reception when he turns out at Ibrox for the first time this season, which looks like it will be in the friendly against Liverpool on August 2.

“People will be waiting to see what he does. But he is a Rangers player and the fans will give anyone in a blue jersey 110% backing.”

Thomas Buffel, meanwhile, insists he will not be forced to leave Rangers. The Belgian midfielder has been told he is free to go - despite having a year left on his contract.

Buffel, 27, was a fringe player at Ibrox last season after failing to impress Walter Smith, who wants to free up the playmaker’s £16,000-per-week salary from their wage bill.

Belgian clubs Germinal Beerschot and Standard Liege have already opened talks with the player, but Buffel is in no hurry to find a new club.

He said: “I returned to training with Rangers on Thursday. But, at the moment, everything is still quiet.

“I expect the transfer market to open again after the European Championships. Of course, I want a team where I will play more often, but I will make no hasty decisions.

“I have not given myself a deadline. But it is my intention to be at a new club for most of pre-season. It is far from ideal if you only arrive at the end of August.”

Source: The Herald