WALTER SMITH, the former Rangers manager, believes Dave King's plans for the club will be unaffected by his status with the Scottish Football Association and the outcome of their 'fit and proper' test investigations.

The SFA remain in discussions with Rangers and are awaiting further information from the King camp before a decision is made on whether the businessman is cleared by the football authorities to take up his position of chairman at Ibrox.

Earlier this month, King was cleared at the Court of Session in Edinburgh to assume a role on the board of Rangers International Football Club plc following his landslide victory at the EGM in March that saw Paul Murray and John Gilligan also win a place at the top table as Derek Llambias and Barry Leach, close allies of Mike Ashley, were removed from office.

King voluntarily held off his appointment to the board as he cooperated with the SFA and will have to answer questions on his tax affairs in South Africa and his previous role as a director during Craig Whyte's tenure at Ibrox if he is to be cleared by the Hampden body.

"The Courts seem to think that he is OK and the SFA will give their judgement on it," Smith said. "Dave has stepped in so I don't see, whether he is officially involved on the board or unofficially involved in it, it will change the way he is going to look at how Rangers Football Club will go forward. It would obviously be better for him if he was involved in the club and I think that would be the more straightforward way for everybody."

The arrival of King, Murray and Gilligan was warmly welcomed by supporters after a lengthy period of protest against a succession of regimes and directors. It is now six weeks since the new board assumed control at Ibrox and a thorough investigation continues as the directors look to rebuild the club following years of turmoil on and off the park.

In an address to fans last month, interim chairman Murray set out a seven year vision to return Rangers to the 'very top' and Smith, who lead the club to 21 major honours over two spells as manager, knows the size of the job in hand is considerable.

"The whole club faces a big, big period in its history," he said. "They have to get back to something resembling Rangers Football Club. That is not going to be easy. No football club goes through its history winning all the time. Rangers have certainly had their down periods before, but this one has been different to any one in our history.

"Everybody has to try and adjust to that. People on the outside need to have an understanding of that, supporters have got to have an understanding of that. That doesn't mean to say they get any laxity in terms of what happens. That is Rangers."

One of the first major decisions the new board had to make was to appoint a new manager after caretaker Kenny McDowall was replaced in the aftermath of the EGM. Rangers are now on the brink of securing second place in the Championship under the guidance of Stuart McCall, who was appointed on a short-term deal until the end of the season.

Victories over Falkirk this weekend and Hearts on the final day of the campaign would see Rangers avoid the first round of play-off fixtures and Smith reckons McCall would be in pole position to land the job on a permanent basis if he can lead his side back to the Premiership.

"He has taken the job and been bold enough to take it until the end of the season," he said. "He will stand by the results he achieves like everyone else over that period. I have no idea what the thoughts of the new board are. I don't know what their thinking will be. But if Rangers can get promotion this season then he won't have done his opportunities of getting the job any harm at all."

It has been a season to forget on the field for Rangers as Ally McCoist and McDowall have both left their positions as manager and Hearts have eased to the Championship title. There are no guarantees that McCall's side will be playing Premiership football next season but Smith knows it is vital for the club to be at that level as quickly as possible.

"They have got to get up this season," he said. "If they don't, you will have reasons why. But, in my mind, Rangers have got to want to be in the Premiership. That is where they play. It is going to take time. They are not going to jump into the Premiership and challenge Celtic right away. But that is where they should be playing. And, for Scottish football, that is where they should be playing as well."

*Walter Smith was speaking at the launch of the 'Know Your Balls' testicular cancer awareness campaign at the John Hartson Foundation golf day.