Kris Boyd can roll back the years one more time to save Rangers in his final game

So who then does he turn to? Kenny Miller has run himself into the ground but if fit boasts a track record of scoring in important games. Haris Vuckic was doing well up until a few weeks ago, while Nicky Law has been known to chip in now and then.

It's a puzzle. In fact, make that a riddle. When does a football manager desperate for his team to score in the biggest game of the season turn to a striker whose best days are long gone and has managed just three goals in over 30 games of a league campaign.

When that manager is McCall and the player is Kris Boyd.

It was just like old times at Ibrox on Thursday night. The stadium was full, there was a genuine big occasion to enjoy, or endure, and because of its importance, Boyd was left on the bench.

This was the way of it when he could be relied upon to score 25 a season. Why would McCall, I hear you cry, risk starting with the now 31-year-old who has been so out of form that being named as a substitute for the first-leg against Motherwell was seen as something of a promotion?

It's this simple. Rangers are in a do-or-die situation. Convention tells you they must score first. On Thursday, three chances were passed up before Motherwell's first goal when the ball landed at the feet of a Rangers player inside the opposition penalty area and the chance wasn't taken.

The Boyd of old would have helped himself to at least one of them. The 2015 version...well the reactions are less mongoose and more koala bear.

But here's a thing. Boyd was a late substitute at Ibrox and only a fine save from Motherwell keeper George Long kept out his header and, okay, he was offside when he did find the net, however, the instant touch and deadly finish brought back a few memories.

He is the only natural goalscorer at Rangers, albeit one who has just about managed to crawl into double figures over 41 games in total. It would be a risk but in all honesty what else can McCall do?

"Why has it not worked for Boydy? I honestly don't know," he said. "All I can say he couldn't have been a better professional since I've been at this club.

"It has been so difficult for a lot of them whose contracts are up and who have not had any game time to either impress me or a new manager. But Boydy has come to training every day and trained to his maximum.

"Kenny Miller and Nicky Clark struck up a good understanding. We won at Easter Road. We won against Hearts at home. Kenny has scored a lot of crucial goals in that period. We have used Haris Vuckic as a striker as well.

"Boydy has always been just filling in. But I can't speak highly enough of his attitude. It must be difficult not being involved, especially with what he has done for the club and his past record here."

That record is the past and all Rangers care about is the here and now. But if on Sunday, when the game is goal-less, and the ball bounces up inside the Motherwell box giving someone wearing blue a half-chance then who, if you are a Rangers supporter, would you want to be taking on the shot.

McCall said: "The first time I left Kris out of my 18 I said to him; 'stick at it because, who knows, you could be the one who gets us the winning goal that gets us up.' You have to keep your eyes on that.'

"But at one stage he wasn't in the 18. We didn't even take him to Hibs with us. He didn't go to Dumbarton either. He could have spat the dummy out like a lot of senior pros might have done."

Could this be his day? "Yeah."

No matter who McCall goes for, they need to show some good old-fashioned spirit. This is no place or time for anyone to go missing.

"We ask that they go out and just give everything they have regardless of what's going on on the park, " said McCall. "That they just come off there having given everything.

"When questions have been asked of us this season, and there have been doubters, the biggest percentage of the time since I've been here the players have answered. I think we can do that on Sunday."