Rangers hero Nacho Novo has urged Michael Beale's men not to give up hope they can reclaim the title but warns it'll take a mentality shift to topple Celtic.

The Ibrox giants trail the league leaders by nine points which resulted in the dismissal of Giovanni van Bronckhorst and an emotional return for Beale as he attempts to turn around the club’s fortunes.

Novo knows all about dramatic comebacks having been part of the title-winning side in 2004-05 when Rangers clawed back a seven-point deficit at the start of the campaign and the famous five-point gap with four games to play as the Spaniard’s goal at Easter Road sealed the legendary Helicopter Sunday triumph.

He told the Rangers Review his old club can overhaul their fierce rivals but not without rolling up their sleeves.

“The players are going to have to stick together and prove everybody wrong and start winning,” he said.

“You can’t blame the manager or anybody. They are going to need to push themselves, it’s as simple as that and fight for each other. That’s how you win games.

“Nine points, it happened to us before and we did it.

“We had a terrible start to the 2004-05 season and in the second half, we went for it. I think we should get big Marv in the dressing room and tell them to keep believing.

“We have a good squad with good players but we’re going to need to match them up, not make any mistakes and we need to beat them in the Old Firm games. Draws are no good, we need to win.

“I think these players will stick together and hopefully the new manager can make a difference.”

As Novo embarks on his own coaching journey after being appointed assistant manager of newly-formed USL side Lexington Sporting Club, the Spaniard says he has sympathy with Van Bronckhorst following his sacking last month.

Rangers Review: (Image: NQ)

“It’ll be hard for him,” he said.

“The problem is he went to the Europa League final, nearly won it and then this season it didn’t work for him but it’s easy to take the manager away.

“It’s difficult being the Rangers coach. I wish Gio good luck, it’s sad really that it didn’t work between the club and him but that’s life, that’s football.

“The players need to take a little bit more responsibility. A manager can always help and do things but the players are the ones who need to get the finger out.

“The players may not be close to the manager or whatever but they still need to compete. This is Rangers, you need to kill yourself on the park.

“If you are not mentally strong and you don’t really want it you shouldn’t be wearing the jersey. People need to be able to cope with the pressure. It doesn’t matter if you have a shocker but if you push yourself to the limit the fans will forgive and support you.

“It’s okay when you’re winning but you see the real players when things are going wrong and how they fight for it. That’s how Rangers needs to be. That’s what it was like when I was there. When we walked onto the park we fought for each other.

“That’s a mentality. Rangers is not easy to play for many good players. They can’t cope with the pressure but Rangers is a special team where you need to be so strong mentally because if you are not strong you are done.

“I think Rangers should give a book or DVD to all the players when they sign to show them what the club means to everyone.”

One man Novo credits with helping him understand the values and demands of the club was the late Jimmy Bell. He says he was one of a kind.

“He was amazing,” he said.

“He was one of the greatest people ever. He used to explain everything to all of us about Rangers and the history.

“He was a Rangers man all his life. He grew up with top players, the Nine-in-a-Row players and he worked so many hours. People think he was just the kitman but what he did for that club was scary. That's how much Rangers meant to him.”

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