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LEE WALLACE left Hearts four years ago believing he was joining a club that was guaranteed to fill his pockets with medals.

Winning was second nature to Rangers but within a year everything had changed and Wallace was playing his football in the nether reaches of Scottish football as the Ibrox club tried to claw its way out of the wilderness.

The left back, now the club captain, stayed while others baled and to this day has yet to experience the joy of lifting a major trophy in his senior career.

Tonight at Ibrox, he can take the first step towards righting that situation. Rangers take on St Johnstone in the League Cup and although they might be playing in a lower division, the start they’ve made to the season makes them heavy favourites to take a Premiership scalp.

Wallace admits he’d love to go all the way in this tournament and not only for himself. He is adamant the supporters who stood by the team in its darkest days deserve the chance to celebrate a trophy triumph.

He said: “I’ve never won a cup in my career. Winning cups was one of my main priorities when I first signed, albeit still in the top division back then.

“In my first press conference I mentioned the fact I was coming into a dressing room full of winners and I wanted to become one of them.

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“Back then we had guys who are now plying their trade down in England in the Premier League and doing exceptionally well and have done a lot more than folk could ever have imagined.

“Obviously I didn’t know what was about to happen. I don’t think anyone did at that period of time.

“Now we’re looking forward and hopefully this season can be that season. We’ve all got aspirations to do well.

“When you look at the supporters and what they’ve gone through - what the club’s been through the last three or four years - there have been players who have suffered in that.

“But more importantly the fans have suffered. They are used to winning and watching teams lift trophies.

“It’s not happened for a few years and we’re hungry to do that for the supporters. We want to give them that return. This season, I just hope that can be the case.”

Wallace has become a cult hero with those supporters, who appreciate that he remained loyal to the club when he could have left for England.

Against Livingston recently, a huge banner was unfurled bearing his name and image and Wallace responded by scoring the opening goal. He admitted the recognition from the support meant the world to him.

He added: “It was unbelievable. I was lucky enough to score the first goal that day, through a few bodies, then I had to applaud the fans for the banner because I was really taken aback by it.

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“My girlfriend had let me know before the game that the banner was going to be there.

“She must have found out through one of the social media sites - I’m not into that stuff myself.

“When I saw it and I heard the crowd, it was just phenomenal. I never expected that in a million years, to be honest.

“The adrenaline I got from the goal and seeing that banner unfurled was superb.

“I can only thank the fans and it just drives me on and makes me hungrier for the team to give as much back to them as we can this season.”

That starts against St Johnstone but Wallace is adamant the Rangers team is not giving this match extra attention because they are up against Premiership opposition.

He said: “I think we’re respectful to St Johnstone but this is just another game for us. That’s the mindset that’s going through the squad.

“We’re just ready and looking to try to keep the momentum and keep winning games.

“We’ve recovered well from Dumbarton, analysed that game and quickly moved on from that one. All the focus is on us and how we approach the game - how we’ll try to be the best Rangers side we can be.

“The level of detail we have in our analysis is great. There are a couple of players at St Johnstone who are due respect. We’ve looked at them in our meeting but the main part of it will be how we look to do better.

“The squad is hungry, we’re not getting too carried away with the start we’ve made.

“We’ve got a great squad assembled really well and the transition has been a lot smoother than folk could ever have imagined.

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“It’s still early doors, we’re not getting carried away. We’re enjoying it and learning, we’re working well and if we go out and be the best we can be every game we’ll be hard to stop.”

Wallace admitted that being handed the captaincy was a huge honour but he insisted he hasn’t changed his approach on or off the field.

“The professional side of things is huge when you come to a club like Rangers and I’ve found that from when I first signed here,” he said.

“You have to conduct yourself as professionally as you can on and off the park. That’s always been the case, so since being captain I’ve tended not too change too much.

“I don’t see any reason why you would need to change as a person. Of course, I know the responsibility as captain is far greater on and off the pitch.

“I’m willing to meet all those responsibilities head on, whether it is on a football pitch or outside it.

“There’s not been any change in me, though. It’s just the same old me, even in my time away from Rangers, whether I’m coaching Tynecastle or looking after my two boys. They are three and eight months. They both have their Rangers strips and they get to every game, which is pleasing.

“Maybe one day, when they get older they can look back and be proud of me as Rangers captain.

“I’m aware of the responsibility and I’m fully focused on helping the rest of the lads at Rangers. It is a young squad we’ve got.

“We are all learning from top coaches and a top manager, which is going to benefit us all.”