Walter Smith believes Rangers must back Mark Warburton in the January transfer window in a bid to secure second spot in the Premiership.

The Ibrox side sit third after 12 games, one point behind Aberdeen in the table after winning promotion to the top flight last term.

Rangers recruited 11 players during the summer transfer window but Smith feels Warburton will require further help in January with a view to mounting a sustained title challenge next term.

Asked if Rangers were playing for second place already, Smith said: "Celtic are the champions of Scotland and are a settled team, they have a new manager and look as though they are doing very well.

"They are a settled club, Rangers have had none of that. Mark Warburton has brought them up, he'll be disappointed with a couple of draws at home this season, if they had won then they'd be in second position already.

"I think Rangers can achieve that this season and I think for them that would be a good starting position after the years in the lower divisions."

When asked if further investment was required to help secure that best of the rest slot, Smith said: "I don't think there's any doubt about that. Part and parcel of the club's problems were the circumstances that they were in when the current board took over.

"While it was going to take Mark Warburton some time to adjust football-wise, it's going to take the board a little bit of time to adjust to the financial aspects but when you take over at Rangers that what you have to do.

"If we're looking all in all if the club can finish second this season, get themselves a bit closer to Celtic in the second half of the season then you can look to the following season for Rangers to put up a better challenge."