MOST of the talk surrounding Rangers clinching the Ladbrokes Championship title has revolved around how the Scottish top flight will be rejuvenated by the Ibrox side's feet slipping back under the top table.
In the flurry of red, white and blue confetti, laps of honour and Old Firm triumphs it is perhaps understandable that not much consideration, at least from a Rangers perspective, has been given to who they would like to join them there.
Not if you’re Kenny Miller, though.
The club’s veteran striker, now in his third spell with the Glasgow giants, began his career in his native Edinburgh at Hutchison Vale before progressing into the youth set-up of Hibernian back in 1996. Eighteen years on and the emotional tie to the Easter Road outfit that was forged back then is one that still has the 36-year-old yearning for his old team to return to the Premiership after the summer.
While Miller may have kept such thoughts or feelings on the back burner while Alan Stubbs and his players ran Rangers close until just after the turn of the year, sitting from the comfort of an uncatchable first place, the Rangers striker is honest about what he thinks Hibs could bring to that top table.
"Yes, definitely,” said Miller when asked if he’d like them to come up. “I think we want the best teams being back in the Premiership and Hibs are definitely one of them. One of the best clubs, fantastic manager, good team, so I would definitely want them up.
“I started out there and you always have a connection. I was there at 11 working with Donald Park. I thoroughly enjoyed my time there and got a great grounding there. I have nothing but respect for Donald - I still think he's one of the best coaches I've worked with, he's well-respected in the game. He gave me a good grounding as to what it took to be a footballer.
“I had four years full time before I moved here, there and everywhere. I'd love to see them go up because I feel they are definitely one of the top teams in the country."
While Miller’s desire to see Hibs do well over the coming weeks is partly motivated by his fondness for the Leith club, it is also driven by a hunger to see Scottish football thrive again.
“I think we’re getting there,” he added.
“No disrespect to anyone in the league I don’t think I’m wrong in saying Hibs are one of the bigger clubs in the country. The stadium is fantastic, the pitch is good, they have a good management team in place and are a good football team the way they play the game.
“So I think everyone involved in Scottish football would like see the best and biggest clubs in the op league and there’s no doubt Hibs, Rangers, Hearts, who got up last year, all fall into that category.”
Just as Miller was a young bright light in green and white for Hibernian, a generation on the striker has admired how Barrie McKay has flourished in a similar fashion in a Rangers jersey.
The 21-year-old won the club’s Young Player of the Year award on Sunday night for a contribution to a season that nobody could have expected from a winger who had previously been farmed out on loan to Morton and Raith Rovers.
Under the guidance of Mark Warburton, McKay has been a revaluation at Ibrox due to his fantastic skill, lightning pace and keen eye for goal – three attributes that were more than evident against Celtic just over a week ago.
It is this type of talent coming through that has Miller convinced that not only is McKay destined for great things, but that Rangers don’t need to spend big to push on next campaign.
“Listen, Baz has had a great season,” he said. “For me he’s got better as the season has gone on.
“I’ve probably known him for about four years now, going back to when I came from Vancouver to train during our off season. Baz was maybe only 16 or 17 but he was a talent breaking through when the club were in the third division.
“But he’s got a lot better this year, there is no doubt about it. At the start of the season I looked at him and felt we could get more from him, but he’s got better and better.
“I think that goes hand in hand with the confidence and belief the management have in him.”
Miller knows Rangers must strengthen during the summer, but he does not accept that money must be squandered chasing big names with bigger salaries.
“Being realistic, are we going to go and spend £4million on a player? Listen, I don’t know, I don’t know what the situation is,” said the striker. “But if I was a betting man I’d probably say no.
“I’m not interested in quality and we’ll see that with the lads whop are brought in. It’s about how they can incorporate into that dressing room.
“The one thing that’s come out in the last few weeks has been how tight our dressing room is and how united and focused we are on where we want to go.
“We don’t want different characters coming in who could harm that harmony that we’ve got.”
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