ALLY McCOIST, the Rangers manager, has defended himself against anger from supporters over his conduct in the wake of last Sunday's humiliating Ramsdens Cup final defeat to Raith Rovers.

McCoist returned to Ibrox Stadium with his squad after the 1-0 defeat at Easter Road for a function with the families of the staff and players, but found himself at the centre of a firestorm when photographs posted on the internet - showing him holding a microphone at the event - were followed by reports he had been singing rock and roll songs.

He has been criticised by an element of his club's support in the wake of the revelations and will find himself under much more pressure this afternoon should Dundee United travel to the home of the SPFL League 1 champions and knock them out of the William Hill Scottish Cup at the semi-final stage.

McCoist insisted the players and management team were not treating the defeat to Raith lightly by throwing themselves headlong into a party, but he has not denied singing and said the arrangements made around the match were no different than they have been for all major fixtures in recent history. "If anyone in this room thinks for a minute that we weren't hurting or in a lot of pain with that result, then I think we are all in the wrong game, I really do," said the Rangers manager.

"What happened on Sunday happened on Sunday, but the point that has to be made, just for the record, is that we were all suffering greatly and we didn't do anything different than we have done in cup finals for the last 30 or 40 years. That's all I would say on it. Nothing more."

McCoist's position is sure to come under more intense scrutiny should United inflict a heavy defeat, but he refused to be drawn into speculation over whether such an outcome could see him sacked.

"It is not for me to say," he said. "I think your job is on the line every time you have got a game with