Steven Naismith is desperate to see his former club Rangers back in the Champions League big time on a consistent basis.

Naisy was part of a Gers team who played regular European football on the grandest stage and he hopes to see his former employers doing so again now that they've established themselves as Scotland's top club.

Steven Gerrard's charges hoisted the Premiership trophy aloft last season for the first time in 10 years to ensure they'd be back in contention for the Champions League qualifiers again.

And the now retired striker - who has become Hearts' new player development manager - wants to see qualification becoming 'the norm' as it was under the likes of Walter Smith, Alex McLeish et al.

"Everything that could have been said has been said about the last 10 years," he said. "It has been some of the hardest times for Rangers as a club. For the four or five seasons before the club last played in the Champions League qualifiers, we constantly competed in Europe, getting to a UEFA Cup final, getting to the Champions League and having some memorable nights along the way.

"It was the norm back for us back then. It has been a long time coming. So hopefully this is going back to being the norm.

"I think both the Old Firm clubs thrive in the Champions League.

"You see the number of teams and players who come and play in Glasgow and give a glowing reference to how good the stadium is and how good the fans are and we need more of that in Scottish football."

The Champions League is a major draw for ambitious footballers and Naismith believes Rangers making it there could be a major boost for keeping their star men.

But he also says it could help the Light Blues appeal to other top talent they may hope to bring in. "The majority of those guys who won the league, potentially they could have interest in them but a massive draw for them to stay is to play in the Champions League,” he added.

"There is not a bigger club competition. When I moved down south it was one of the big questions a lot of players would ask – ‘What’s it like to play in the Champions League?’ There are players desperate to do that.

"Rangers are in a very good position. They have pulled back Celtic and things are looking good but you can’t rest on that success from last season. One thing about the Old Firm, you have to be ahead of the game."