FORMER Rangers captain Lee McCulloch has clinched his return to the dugout after agreeing to join Robbie Neilson’s backroom team at Dundee United.

Herald Sport understands the 40-year-old will put pen-to-paper on a deal at Tannadice on Wednesday before getting down to work alongside Neilson and new assistant head coach Gordon Forrest.

McCulloch was in the running to replace Stephen Craigan as the manager of the Motherwell Under-20s following the Northern Irishman’s departure from Fir Park last month.

But he has knocked back the chance to return to the club where he began his playing days and accepted an offer from Neilson to become part of his first-team staff at United.

McCulloch has been out of the Scottish game since leaving Kilmarnock last October and will now take the next step in his coaching career on Tayside as United look to earn promotion back to the Premiership this term.

The former Scotland international – who won 10 honours during his time at Ibrox - had an interim spell in charge at Rugby Park following Gary Locke’s resignation two years ago before he returned to the touchline when Lee Clark left to join Bury.

McCulloch led Killie to an eighth-place finish in the Premiership but he couldn’t build on that initial success the following season and he was replaced by Steve Clarke after failing to win any of the first eight league matches.

The SportTimes columnist moved to Poland in January last year to work alongside former Rangers fitness coach Adam Owen at Lechia Gdańsk but his time on the continent was short-lived.

He is now poised to return to the first team arena once again after becoming the latest appointment at Tannadice following Mark Ogren’s takeover of United.

The American businessman replaced Mike Martin as chairman as the Arabs entered a fresh era and appointed Tony Ashgar as Sporting Director and Mal Brannigan as managing director.

Now McCulloch will join the new regime on Tayside ahead of their crucial Championship clash with Ayr United on Friday night.