Barry Ferguson, the Rangers captain, completed his first full match for more than five months yesterday as the reserves drew with Dundee United. The 30-year-old Scotland captain was an unused substitute in Tuesday night’s Co-operative Insurance Cup quarter-final win over Hamilton Academical but is expected to make his first-team return in Saturday’s Clydesdale Bank Premier League clash with Inverness Caledonian Thistle.

Yesterday’s outing was the midfield player’s second for the reserves since recovering from his summer ankle operation. He almost marked the game with a late goal but was off target as ten-man Rangers, who lost Christian Dailly to a red card after just 45 seconds, were held to a 1-1 draw.

Steven Davis, for one, is tipping Ferguson to slot effortlessly back into the team, and understands why he will return so soon despite the midfield being the most hotly contested positions for places at Ibrox just now. “He’s a big player for us, he’s the skipper and it will be great to have him back,” Davis said. “He will obviously give the manager a bit of a headache when he comes back.

“Barry is a complete midfielder — he can get forward, he tracks back, and everyone looks up to him.”