Ibrox side Glasgow Rangers are still adapting to life back in the top flight.
Former Glasgow Rangers captain Terry Butcher has told the Scottish Sun’s Facebook page his former side will surpass Celtic eventually.
Rangers, who are Scotland’s most successful club with 54 league titles, are still adapting to life back in the top flight, having spent four years working their way back from the fourth tier.
Mark Warburton’s side are third in the Premiership standings, but already find themselves 11 points behind their Old Firm rivals, who are gunning for their sixth consecutive crown.
To compound matters, Celtic have won both encounters between the two sides since Rangers’ return, including a 5-1 hammering at Parkhead in September.
Butcher, though, believes the Gers are simply finding their feet at Premiership level, and will eventually lead the way in Scotland once again.
“They’re still a long way away (from Celtic) but that gap can be bridged in time and I’m sure it will be,” the former England defender told the Scottish Sun. “But it is going to take a bit of time, there’s no doubt about that.
“There’s going to be a few bloody noses that Rangers will have to suffer on the way. But they are making progress. They know now what it’s like, coming into the Premiership from the Championship – and from the wilderness really – after a few years away. You never know what to expect until you actually get in there and do it. It’s all part of a learning process for them.
“The Rangers players know now exactly what it’s like playing in Premiership with the big boys. You know you’ve got to beat Celtic and you’ve got to finish ahead of them and Rangers will do that eventually but it it’ll take a bit of time.”
Butcher arrived at Ibrox from Ipswich Town in 1986 and remained in Glasgow for four seasons – winning the Premiership title in three of those.
The 57-year-old later managed north of the border with Motherwell, Inverness Caledonian Thistle and, most recently, Hibernian.
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