DICK ADVOCAAT first spotted Kevin Muscat as a potential Rangers signing during his final season as boss and once Alex McLeish ratified the Dutchman’s verdict it was only a matter of time before the Aussie came to Ibrox.

A stalwart of the Australian national side, Muscat had played very solidly in English football for firstly Crystal Palace and then Wolves after leaving his homeland in 1996.

His sharp play in the right fullback area convinced Wolves to pay £2million for his services in 1997 and he scarcely missed a game for the Black Country club in five years.

He played 201 games for Wolves, scoring 14 goals, as the Wanderers perennially hit the cross bar in terms of trying to get out of the Nationwide First Division and into the Premiership.

He needed a new challenge and was more than delighted to come to Scotland where he immediately joined up with close friend and international team mate Craig Moore.

With some heavy competition for the right back slot, Muscat had to wait a little while to make his mark but quickly claimed the position as his own in the early part of this season.

He made his debut for Australia against Kuwait in a 0-0 draw in 1994 and has the distinction of scoring a hat-trick of penalites against Tonga in a 22-0 World Cup qualifying win in April 2001

Muscat also scored the vital penalty which clinched a 1-0 first leg win over Uruguay in the play-off match for the 2002 World Cup but the Aussies lost the second leg 3-0 to go out yet again.

Australia have no competitive matches until qualifying begins for the next World Cup so Muscat will be devoting all of his time to the Ibrox cause.

He is currently battling Mo Ross for a slot at right-back.