Rangers manager Ally McCoist has issued a rallying call to supporters to back the club in its hour of need.

McCoist - the Ibrox side's record goalscorer and assistant to Walter Smith before taking over at the helm in the summer - says he can empathise with worried fans after the Scottish champions went into administration yesterday.

The Light Blues have immediately been docked 10 points by the Scottish Premier League - leaving them 14 points adrift of leaders Celtic - meaning the title race and hopes of a fourth successive championship are effectively over.

But, with a game against Kilmarnock at Ibrox on Saturday to prepare for, McCoist admits Rangers now need the support of their fans more than ever.

He told the club's official website: "The most important people at this football club have always been the fans and that will always be the case.

"They are suffering at the moment and I am one myself. I have supported the club all my life and I know how they are feeling.

"The one thing that I have to ask them at this time for the club is to be with the club and with the team.

"The team really need the support of the fans more than ever in this hour.

"It's always been the case that we have had a wonderful relationship with the fans and I firmly believe that they are the best in the world.

"Now we need them and we have to ask them to prove that again by supporting the team in numbers and I am sure they will do that.

"They understand that it is not an ideal situation. We have been deducted 10 points and that makes life very, very difficult for us.

"But these are the facts and I would just ask the fans for their continued great support and to please get behind the team."

McCoist is confident the Ibrox faithful will not desert him or his players and pointed to the support Rangers took to Manchester for the UEFA Cup final in 2008 as evidence to back that statement.

He added: "I can still close my eyes and see our fans in that stadium down in Manchester and that will live with me until my dying day.

"It was incredible support for the team and we have had that over our 140 years.

"I'm biased but I make no apology for that, I believe we have the best fans in the world and I think that will show in the next few weeks."