IF you had asked Kevin Thomson two months ago who would win a play-off between Motherwell and Rangers, he would have gone with his old club every time.

Now the Dundee captain is not so sure and believes the presence of old advisories Scott McDonald and Stephen Pearson to Fir Park has changed everything in that these former Celtic players, along with Stephen McManus, are hardly going to be scared of walking out at a full Ibrox.

It is too close to call and Thomson wasn't going to pick a definite winner, although his loyalties obviously lie with the team he played for in a UEFA Cup final. However, you get the impression that he is leaning, ever so slightly, towards Motherwell doing enough on Thursday and Sunday to stay in the Scottish Premiership.

"It's going to be tight. The Championship was tight between Hibs and Rangers all season. The play-off was an edgy affair and the final will be the same," said Thomson."The 18 days off Hibs had, in my opinion, proved decisive. They had a bit of ring rust in the final third. I would have rather, as a Hibs fan, seen them take on Queen of the South over two legs then face Rangers.

"But it's all history now and they have got two massive games coming up. I would have thought Rangers would have been a shoo-in against a few months ago. But since Oz (McDonald) has come in, they've signed Stephen Pearson and they've got a bit of experience about them. It's going to be nip and tuck."

Thomson played in a few big games for Rangers in his three years at the club. These next two matches are very different to anything he had to put up with. Winning leagues and cup finals brings its own pressure, but to be a Rangers player in a team that failed to win promotion is not someone you want to be.

As a player, and an under-rated one at that, the midfielder never gave off the impression worry or stress were ever something he had to deal with. But even he would feel the butterflies given what ramifications lie in wait for the play-off loser.

"The current Rangers squad, apart from maybe Lee McCulloch and Lee Wallace - I don't want to disrespect anyone - but the bulk of the squad have maybe never played in cup finals or won titles or whatever," said Thomson. This is ultimately a massive game for them and a massive game for the club's future. It's a massive game for Motherwell as well as the side effects of getting relegated is tough."

Thomson hopes that no matter what, Rangers are on the way back, and back being as a club challenging for honours and European football isn't just something to watch on the television.

"I have never been one to read into all the politics of what's gone on, it's never really interested me," he said. "I can only speak from the time I was at Rangers. It was an amazing club with amazing people and unfortunately it went through a real hard time that everyone knows about.

"If they can get promoted with the new board that have come in, there seems to be a bit more stability there and I'm pretty sure in the next few years that Rangers can hopefully get back to something of the club that I remember."

Sitting in the sun on the patio of an Edinburgh hotel, Thomson wears the smile of a contented man. Yet he temptation to label the Dundee captain as unlucky is overwhelming. However, the now 30-year-old doesn't want any pity. Indeed the former Hibernian, Middlesbrough and Rangers player would tell you that he is one of the fortunate ones.

The fact he is still playing and thinking about continuing for a few years yet says everything about his mental strength. If only his poor body had been so robust down the years, he would have another 200 games at least on his CV.

"I've just made the 30 mark and I've never been one to moan and groan. I've just accepted it," said Thomson. "It's been hard at times and you do get frustrated. You sometimes wish you had as much luck as other people.

"But hopefully people can appreciate what I have been through and what I've still managed to achieve. It makes me proud that I've come back from two serious knee injuries and four broken legs at Middlesbrough within the space of 18 months and I am still playing at a high level.

"In the last year or two I've had more frustrating wee injuries but I just pick myself up and get on with it. I'd like to think people still appreciate what I can do out on the pitch."

"Kevin Thomson was speaking ahead of the Bank of Scotland Midnight League South West Regional final - a national network of diversionary 5-a-side football activity, targeting 12 to 16 year olds across the country. Over 100 young people will compete at the showpiece final to be held at Annan on Friday evening."