Mark McGhee says he would be "very disappointed" if Rangers fans boycott away matches this season, including Saturday's League Cup opener at Motherwell.

The Steelmen get their campaign under way against Mark Warburton's side this week, with the newly revamped competition pairing the two sides in the same group.

However, the build-up to the match has witnessed talk of a possible boycott of away games at top-flight clubs by Rangers fans this season, with Dave King even addressing such talk.

But McGhee believes that would be a loss to the Scottish game and that Rangers fans should be welcomed at grounds around the country.

"That seems a shame," he said. "One of the things we'd be looking forward to was welcoming away supporters here.

"It's one of the things that makes it an atmosphere here. If you've got no-one from the away support here our own fans can get complacent.

"But if they're here then it gets our fans on their feet, gets them competitive. We need that.

"We need the support of our fans, but sometimes it comes not just our performance but the challenge that the away support brings.

"I'd be very disappointed if Rangers boycott games because I think everywhere would welcome them for the atmosphere."

Rangers will visit Fir Park for the first time since the controversial Scottish Premiership play-off final in 2015.

However, McGhee insists that any ill-feeling between the clubs is now a thing of the past.

"It should be [in the past]," he said. "We've supported Rangers' cause all along going back to when they went out of the league.

"We're some of the people who supported a positive aspect for Rangers. I think we're a club that welcomes Rangers back big-time into the league.

"As a competition I think it's better off with Rangers. So I don't think there's any bad feeling about that.

"Play-off games are emotional and when you're the team that's managed to survive you're euphoric and when you're the team that's lost you're despondent.

"I think that's all that happened that day. That's in the past and Rangers can look forward again to a big future in the Premiership."