On Sunday Rangers announced that they had parted company with Michael Beale. The former Queens Park Rangers manager lasted less than a year after taking over from Giovanni Van Bronckhorst.
With Rangers already seven points behind their arch rivals Celtic after as many games in the Scottish top flight, they are now on the lookout for a new manager to get their season back on track.
As with most clubs, they have turned to an experienced head within the camp to lead them whilst they look for their next occupant of the hotseat at Ibrox. However it is an experienced player rather than someone with any coaching experience who will lead the team.
38-year-old Steven Davis is taking charge of the team on an interim basis. The Northern Ireland record appearance holder is currently recovering from a serious knee injury. He is currently in his second spell with the Glasgow side and has racked up close to 350 appearances for the club will be joined by some of the existing coaching staff.
One of which is former Preston North End left-back Steven Smith. Also 38, Smith spent eight years with Rangers at the start of his career before spells with Norwich City and Aberdeen. He then signed for Preston after their relegation from the Championship in 2011.
He was part of the mismatched squad Phil Brown assembled as The Lilywhites tried but failed to immediately bounce back up to the second tier. It seemed like a good signing for League One, but a few injuries early on didn’t help Smith settle in.
He only managed 13 appearances for the club, and his one-year contract was mutually terminated in April 2012 to allow him to join Portland Timbers in the MLS. He then returned to Rangers as they were attempting to climb back through the Scottish leagues.
A spell at Kilmarnock in the Scottish Premier League would see Smith see out his career before returning to Rangers once again as a youth coach in 2021.
Along with Davis, Smith will also be joined by Alex Rae, Brian Gilmour and Colin Stewart and they are tasked with giving the side some stability over the next few games.