HE saw scores of teams and hundreds of players, but one outfit always made an impression on Ewan Chester.

The former Rangers chief scout now travels the length and breadth of the country, and beyond, as part of Chris Hughton’s backroom staff at Brighton and Hove Albion.

While the Seagulls were fighting for their Championship survival last term, Brentford were catching the eye at the opposite end of the table.

In the end, there would be no fairytale ending for Mark Warburton and David Weir at Griffin Park, the Bees’ Premier League dreams coming to an end in the play-off semi-finals.

The fact that they got their side so close, coupled with the manner in which they did it, ensured their stock was high even in the aftermath of a disappointing low.

And Chester is confident the pair will continue to go from strength to strength as they look to return Rangers to the top of Scottish football.

“Everybody was very impressed with the job they did at Brentford,” he told SportTimes.

“I have known David for a long time and he is a hugely respected figure in the game.

“I don’t know Mark so well but I have been in his company and I did a loan deal when I was at Norwich and he was Sporting Director at Brentford.

“I spoke to him then and was very impressed. Since he has become a manager, the progression at Brentford has been very impressive and he has made a big impression down here.

“David has a reputation in the game as one of the top professionals and the job they did at Brentford certainly got people talking.

“They certainly play with a bit of style and I am sure the Rangers fans will enjoy type of football that they encourage.

“It carries the hallmarks of what they did at Brentford. I think the Rangers fans will be impressed.

“There is a project in place and Mark and David are the right guys to carry it through.”

With Rangers reeling following their play-off collapse against Motherwell, it was to Warburton and Weir that the new Ibrox board turned for inspiration.

It was a move that excited the Light Blue legions, but a bold marriage from both perspectives as Rangers and Warburton took steps into the unknown.

But Chester, who worked under Graeme Souness and Walter Smith over two spells at Ibrox, isn’t surprised to see Warburton lured north of the border.

He said: “I am sure there would have been interest in Mark and I would be surprised if there wasn’t given the job he done at Brentford.

“People shouldn’t underestimate the magic of Rangers. It is a massive club.

“I thought Stuart McCall improved things and done a good job during his spell but they have chosen to go with Mark and David and it is an ambitious appointment.

“It does show there is still an allure of Rangers and it is attractive to managers and players.”

After being sold on a move to Ibrox himself, it is now Warburton who is making the sales pitches as he bids to bolster his Light Blues squad.

The first phase of his recruitment programme has been steady so far this summer as he shops in a far different market to the one that Chester used to scout in the search for multi-million pound reinforcements.

But the former Gers talent spotter is confident the right kind of players will still be taken in by the chance to pull on a Light Blue jersey.

He said: “No matter what league Rangers are in, it is still an attractive club for players.

“How many clubs in England can get 50,000 fans into their ground?

“I have worked at Fulham and Norwich in the Premier League and they are both excellent clubs, but it is physically impossible to get more than 30,000 people into the ground.

“No matter if it was United, Arsenal, Chelsea or Liverpool coming, it couldn’t happen.

“If Rangers get back to the level that I hope they get back to, the fans will turn out in huge numbers. That is extremely attractive to players down here.

“You have also got the added bonus of European football. Down here, there are only six or seven clubs who regularly have the chance of playing European football so the opportunities are limited for players here.

“There is no question that the Old Firm are still attractive and if Rangers become competitive again and you have an all together stronger Scottish game then it will become even more attractive.”

There may be a long-term plan in place for Warburton, but it relies on immediate success this season as he looks to lead Rangers to the Championship title.

The size of the rebuilding job on and off the park is significant for Warburton and the new Gers board, with every area, including the scouting network that Chester oversaw for many years, in need of finance and manpower.

But he remains confident that progress can be quick and that significant steps can be taken to return Rangers to their former glory.

Chester said: “I genuinely feel, and I hope like every other Rangers supporter, that within two years they will be competitive in the Premiership again.

“In Scottish football, Rangers, and Celtic, can always turn things round reasonably quickly.

“If you are in England, it takes billions. That is the reality of the situation.

“If you are looking to do something like Manchester City have done, it does take billions.

“But Rangers, and Celtic, are so big within Scottish football, and when you have got that fan base, things can be turned round reasonably quickly.

“If you get the fans on side, you have a chance of changing your fortunes and closing any gaps within a reasonable amount of time and that is what Rangers will be looking to do.”