RYAN HARDIE is determined to prove his long-term worth to Rangers boss Steven Gerrard after clinching a new Ibrox deal and returning to Livingston on loan.

The striker spent the first half of the campaign with Gary Holt’s side before joining up with the Light Blues at their training camp in Tenerife this month.

Hardie has now been rewarded with an extension to his contract that will keep him at Rangers until the end of next season.

And he has re-joined the Lions as he looks to add to his five Premiership goals this term ahead of his return to Ibrox in the summer.

Hardie said: “I’m absolutely delighted. Obviously the first time I was involved this season was the trip to Tenerife, and I was over the moon with that chance to go and show what I can do as it was the first time I had been away with the manager.

“When he came in at first, I was injured and I only got playing again at the start of December, so that trip was a chance to show the gaffer what I was about.

“He would have seen what I was like from afar, but he just wanted to have a look at me and assess me with a view to next year. Thankfully I have done enough to secure another contract and I am looking forward to kicking on.

“I have loved it [at Livingston] so far and it is my first experience of starting games in the Premiership and I’ve managed to get five goals in five games.

“So I am looking forward to going there again, scoring more goals and proving I can do it at this level. A lot of thanks has to go to the gaffer for allowing me to do so – he could easily have kept me in the building and I would not have got as much game-time as I would have wanted.

“It’s great he has realised that and wants me to play another six months of football and get regular game-time so I can come back here next season with a fresh view to playing for Rangers.”