Alex McLeish helped Jack Butland and Joe Hart take their first steps in the game during their formative years at Birmingham City.

Now he reckons the new Ibrox number one can take inspiration from his former team-mate as the duo are reunited in Glasgow on opposite sides of the Old Firm divide.

McLeish was boss at St Andrew's when Butland first burst onto the scene and he was quickly touted as a keeper that should have huge aspirations for club and country.

In the end, it was Hart who would lift silverware south of the border and establish himself for England before making the move to Parkhead to add to his medal haul.

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Butland has arrived at Ibrox on a free transfer from Crystal Palace and must now rise to the challenge of filling the jersey vacated by Allan McGregor this summer.

"Jack has still to prove he is at that kind of level," McLeish said. "His history shows that he should have that kind of confidence, like Joe has brought to Celtic.

"But the fact he is maybe smarting a wee bit that he has not been 100 per cent regular in the English divisions, he certainly has a point to prove.

"The fact Joe Hart has done so well at Celtic, then that is what he will be focusing on. He will take a little lesson from a more experienced player.

"I am not sure [why he hasn't lived up to the expectations since being capped by England]. I didn’t really follow his career after that.

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"I was always aware of where he was but we never quite saw him scale the heights in England, but playing at the level where he got England caps tells you he has it in his locker.

"Absolutely [he has got massive gloves to fill]. Greegs is obviously a legend there, but it has to always be in your wee black book: who is going to be the next goalie?

"Butland has the potential, five or six others. But you have to go with the one you think. I think Jack will want to prove a point."