HE didn’t need the guided tour of Murray Park and he has already heard the Ibrox roar.

Andy Halliday has returned to Glasgow and Rangers older, wiser and ready for the biggest challenge of his life.

After five years in England, Halliday is home and back in Light Blue ahead of a campaign that he hopes will allow him to inspire his boyhood heroes to return to the level they are accustomed to, and to the stages he saw them perform on from the stands.

His spells with Middlesbrough and Bradford, where he was part of the side that knocked Chelsea out of the FA Cup last season, have allowed him to hone his talents and gain much-needed experience in the game.

Now he is poised to put his time south of the border to good use after being handed a deal by new Gers boss Mark Warburton.

“I am a better player for it, I don’t think any Scottish boys will go down there and say they are not,” Halliday said.

“You are playing at a good standard and with good players. I worked under Gordon Strachan, Tony Mowbray and (Aitor) Karanka was the assistant manager at Madrid.

“They have all got different ideas and brought different things to the table. It is impossible not to get better and I think I have improved tenfold for the experience.

“You play in big games and in front of big crowds. It gets you used to it, especially if you are going to come and play for a club like Rangers.

“You need to expect the big crowds and some stick but if you can’t handle that then you are in the wrong profession.”

His return to Glasgow has given Halliday the chance to live the dream, just a few years after they were dashed and he almost turned his back on the game.

The midfielder was released from Murray Park as a kid and spent months considering his options after suffering a significant blow to his ambitions.

A move to Livingston kick-started his career and Halliday is delighted to have come full circle after penning a two-year deal.

He said: "That's all you think about when you're younger, playing football. Thankfully I was one of the lucky ones who was able to do it.

“That's down to a lot of hard work but there's a touch of good fortune as well.

“There are a lot of good players who don't make it and who end up going down the slippery slope.

"When you're brought up in Glasgow you see people get led down the wrong path.

“I look at people I was at school with who are either in jail or don't have a job. Thankfully I was led onto the right path and I'm just happy to be back here.”

Halliday may not always have been at Ibrox in body in recent years but he has always been there in mind as he has supported the club from afar.

He has witnessed the Gers fall from grace and stumble on the road to recovery, with last season a campaign to forget as they were condemned to another season in the Championship.

But the Glaswegian is keen to look to a bright future under boss Warburton as everyone at Ibrox bids to play their part in Rangers’ revival.

Halliday said: “When you are not in the situation, it is hard to know what is going on in the background.

“All you are caring about is supporting the team on the park. That is what my family were doing and they were going to the games.

“It is hard to see the team skittle down the leagues and struggle to put in the results that everyone wants to get back into the Premiership.

“I am trying to be positive. This year is a fresh start, the gaffer and Davie Weir have come in and they are trying to change the playing style from scratch.

“For me, it is exciting to be part of the team that could take Rangers back to the Premiership. That is the only objective.

“In my opinion, Scottish football needs Rangers and Rangers need Scottish football and the Premiership. It is an exciting time to hopefully get Rangers back to where they belong.”

The first steps towards a potential Premiership return will be taken this evening when Rangers host Burnley in their final warm-up match before the big kick-off.

After behind-closed-door fixtures against Tottenham Hotspur and Ayr United in recent days, the Clarets clash is a chance for the Ibrox crowd to get a glimpse of the future under Warburton.

And Halliday is confident Rangers will make a good first impression as the build-up continues to the Petrofac Training Cup tie against Hibernian on Saturday.

He said: “There is nobody in the changing room who is not determined to get Rangers back to the Premiership.

“The good thing for myself is knowing what it is all about. The expectation and the pressure might get to some players.

“I have been delighted with the standard in training in the last couple of weeks. The gaffer has come in and is starting from scratch but the boys have taken to it like a duck to water.

“The playing style is really good and the game against Ayr was a great workout. We played really well and we want to showcase that tonight.

“Hopefully there are a few fans there. We want the fans to buy into what the gaffer is trying to do in terms of the playing style.

“We have got to get the results and I have no doubt that will happen and we will get back to where we belong.”

* Rangers take on Burnley at Ibrox tonight in a pre-season friendly – tickets are priced £10 for adults and £5 for kids and are available from the Ticket Centre up until kick-off or Pay at the Gate in the Copland Stand (Rear).