It’s hard to remember a time when more goodwill surrounded the leadership on and off the park at Rangers.

After winning the league by a more than considerable 25-point margin and losing just three games in a 56-match season, the Ibrox side’s trajectory seems only upwards.

There is still needed improvement in cup competitions, but in every other department, the club has delivered to expectation.

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With only four games standing between the prospect and reality of Champions League football, key assets under contract and a plethora of options to choose from throughout a squad packed full of quality, the Ibrox side is in a favourable position.

A metaphor of the quality currently enjoyed in the playing department could be found off the pitch during the win over Livingston on Saturday. Borna Barisic, Filip Helander, Ryan Jack, Scott Arfield, Alfredo Morelos, Niko Katic and Stephen Kelly are all names welcome in a starting 11 that didn’t make the squad.

A team most, if not all, supporters are delighted with has been assembled while the club has been modernised. Rangers are building secure foundations to their position of strength, and the man key to this club-wide vision is Sporting Director Ross Wilson.

“I’ve said since the day and minute I came here, as I think Steven [Gerrard] did from the day he entered the building as well, we want to take the club forward all the time,” he told RangersTV in a wide-ranging interview last weekend.

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“We want to be relentless in how we drive the club forward.”

The professionalism, drive and determination Wilson displays are qualities entirely fitting of a person in his position, but they're not an inevitability. If the past decade has taught Rangers supporters anything, it is that such leadership is no entitlement.

In more modern times, one needs to look just a few miles east to see the consequences of not being “relentless” when on top.

Since arriving at Ibrox in late 2019, Wilson has driven improvement and development throughout the club.

Playing a leading role in the modernisation of the footballing department, adding key members to a squad and staff that needed depth and helping to deliver a momentous 55th title.

And behind it all? A plan. All the best-run clubs throughout the world are run meticulously. Players are scouted to the tenth degree, contracts are extended well in advance.

There is a degree of spontaneity in everything, there is no certainty what type of season a player will enjoy or indeed the team for that matter. But to the best of their ability, the club’s forward-thinking, modern blueprint has and is bringing success to Glasgow’s southside.

It’s clear when Wilson communicates that every decision is dictated by the strategy to “take the club forward all the time”.

He added: “We had a clear plan as to how we were going to manage pre-season, how we were going to plan pre-season, what our recruitment looked like, what the exits from the squad looked like. But also how we were going to develop our staff and facilities here as well.

“We can never stop here, we know the journey the club’s been on. We know the journey we’re on today and to really make sure that we have a proper modern football club, which we have now.

“We can never stop building, but it’s got to be aligned to our plan and our plan is absolutely clear.

“As Sporting Director, the thing that is pleasing for me is that we’ve got a group of staff here working with me every day from the chairman down that are absolutely aligned and committed to that plan and all working off the same page.”

For supporters such language is ideal. Nothing is done on a whim, or in a panic at Rangers. All outcomes are catered for and the big picture is always in focus. Everyone is centred on achieving silverware and success, and the infrastructure and preparation are in place to cater for it.

The evidence of the plan Wilson alludes to is constantly evident. The development of key players and the astute manner in which this squad has been built shows. 

It bore more fruit in the 78th minute yesterday when Scott Wright stroked home Rangers' insurance goal in a 3-0 win over Livingston. A player signed in January for a nominal fee from Aberdeen having originally agreed to a pre-contract deal for the summer, he looks primed and ready to make a big impact this season.

His development has been one of this summer’s main talking points. You’d imagine the time spent with the coaching staff last season has played a big part in the flashes of brilliance shown throughout pre-season and on Saturday.

It was another smart signing to add to a long list of accusations that have worked out well. Married with contract extensions to key personnel. 

Wilson continued: “Steven and I were really clear probably from October, November last year. What we wanted to do across the January and summer windows, almost looking at those windows in tandem.

“We secured the signings of Jack Simpson and Scott Wright in January with a view to the summer. But we were happy to accelerate those transfers in and the two boys [have] been around this club, familiarised themselves with this group of players, with everything that comes with representing this club [which] was fantastic for them.

“We’re delighted that we made those moves earlier than had initially been anticipated.”

The projected additions of Lundstram and Sakala also stretched back to well before the summer.

Wilson adding: “Again, two players that absolutely were in our thoughts, in our plan dating back to October, November. We clearly wanted to increase the speed in our team, we’ve definitely done that across the two windows.”

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He spoke also of the youth set-up, the development of the training ground and stadium, pitch and return of fans. Always relaying the future back to the plans of the past.

Ross Wilson says everything that Rangers fans want to hear, but more significantly does everything fans want him to do. 

His transfer record to this point has been excellent and his work behind the scenes impactful.

And underpinning everything he, Gerrard and co do is this relentless drive to consistently take Rangers forward on and off the pitch, to never stand still and to always progress.