JERMAIN Defoe and Steven Davis have a combined age of 70 but by Gareth McAuley’s standards they almost count as a fresh infusion of young talent. The 39-year-old Northern Irishman – a year older than his gaffer Steven Gerrard - last night insisted the club’s quota of thirty somethings can still show the youngsters a thing or two as they attempt to sustain a challenge in both the league and the cup in the second part of the season.

Defoe, 36, and Davis, 34, join the 36-year-old Allan McGregor in the Rangers squad, while Scott Arfield has recently turned 30.

“Davo is really buzzing, he didn’t need any encouragement to come back,” said McAuley of his Northern Irish international team-mate. “He had a great time here and the frustrations at Southampton meant he wanted a fresh challenge and when Rangers asked him to come there was no other place he was going to come to.

“He’s a great player and absolutely delighted to be back,” he added. “I know from my experience at West Brom last year how tough it is to going from being a regular to not being involved. He was getting frustrated down there and coming up here gives him a lease of life with the size of the club and the excitement around it and the chance to win trophies again.

“Obviously, you’ve got the young kids around you and you’re constantly trying to prove to them and show them that if they do this that they can still reach a level. I’m twice the age of some of the lads - my shin pads are older....look, I’m not daft enough to think you can go on forever but if you do the right things and always progress and find little bits to help you then you can keep up with the younger ones and sometimes be even better than them.”

The surroundings of Central Park, Cowdenbeath tonight will be anathema to many of the pampered Premier League primadonnas, but for the likes of McAuley they merely remind him of home. “The track around Central Park reminds me of Ballyskeagh, where Distillery play,” he said. “It has a track around it too and the greyhounds come on after the football at the weekend and it doubles up as a stock car venue too so it’s nothing new and nothing new for our lads who know what to expect. The conditions will be tough but it’s about how we apply ourselves mentally and physically in the game.”

McAuley missed out on the chance of making his Old Firm debut on December through injury, although he was understandably “delighted with the result”. “I was only a day or two away from making the game on the 29th but it was too much of a risk and it would have been selfish for me to have said I was ready to play in the game.”

Consolation came in the form of an MBE in the New Year’s Honours list. “It was very unexpected and I was surprised and shocked but humbled and delighted with and very proud too,” he said. “The club got an email asking me to call and I made the call and basically they asked if I would accept the award and I didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. It’s a great honour - and then you have to keep it quiet for a few weeks before it is announced.”