ALLY McCOIST has enjoyed some memorable nights at Ibrox.

Amid the epic European ties and titanic Old Firm derbies it is unlikely that a Scottish Communities League Cup tie with East Fife would have been afforded any more than a footnote in his mind.

It is a seminal moment for the Ibrox club and its manager now, though. McCoist will send out his side in their first home match in their new guise as a third division team. The fact that tonight's opponents now occupy a place in a higher league might rankle with some at Ibrox but there was discernible rancour from the manager yesterday.

He was at his enthusiastic best, talking up his determination to lead his side into the top flight. The smile was back and so to were his famous one-liners as he held court inside Murray Park. At long last, football matters were the topic of conversation once again. The off-field crises had finally taken a backseat and the Rangers manager could get back to what he feels he can do best: winning football matches.

There would have been times in the past when a home fixture against East Fife in the League Cup would have been nothing other than a glorified training session for Rangers, with most first-team players omitted from the team. Not now, though. "We've tried to be as professional as we can be. We've had East Fife watched a couple of times, we'd a couple watching them at Peterhead," said McCoist. "They're a good enough, hard-working side."

While dispatching spies to watch cup opponents might be de rigueur for a manager, McCoist has also set about opening the doors of Murray Park to trialists as he seeks further reinforcements.

His squad remains a little callow – "We've deliberately had one or two training sessions down there so the younger ones can get used to the size of the park," said McCoist – and an impending registration embargo which will last until January 2014 has necessitated a more gregarious approach to finding new recruits. Ian Black and Dean Shiels have already arrived on board and Rangers are in discussions with Craig Beattie, Francisco Sandaza and Kevin Kyle but McCoist has admitted that not every player on his radar will have Premier League experience.

Brazilian defender Emilson Cribari has also spent the last couple of days training with the club. "I won't be shy in making it an open door for ones we want to look at," said McCoist.

"It would think Maurice Edu and Alejandro Bedoya would be leaving. I'm still hopeful Dorin Goian will stay, as I am Carlos Bocanegra. I know Charles [Green, Rangers' chief executive] has been speaking with Craig Beattie's representatives so hopefully that will go forward."

There was a glint in his eye as the Rangers manager revelled in the chance to talk shop. His sense of mischief was also undimmed as he swatted away the prospect of Robbie Savage turning up at Ibrox. "Robbie ruled himself out when he said he couldn't play on a Saturday," smiled McCoist. "That comes with the territory. Keep your Saturdays free."