Fleck has been dubbed Scotland's answer to Wayne Rooney

Rangers chairman David Murray has backed what he views as the club's best-ever crop of young players to pull them through the financial downturn.

Manager Walter Smith has been told to trim his squad from 28 to a 20-strong group bolstered by those fresh faces.

"Murray Park is now bearing fruit," the chairman said of his training ground.

"I understand some fans have concerns, but we have never had so many players out on loan and we have never had so many promising young players."

Murray's words on Rangers' website came on the day the Glasgow club agreed to extend Andrew Shinnie's loan spell at First Division Dundee.

And fellow forward John Fleck has started to feature regular in Rangers' first-team in recent weeks at the age of 17.

"It is no coincidence that players like Loy, Furman, McMillan and Shinnie are all out getting experience at the moment and we are hopeful they will come back ready to be part of the plans," said Murray.

I spoke to Walter and confirmed the need to bring in funds to compensate for the fact we are going to make a loss this year Rangers chairman David Murray

"We have John Fleck, Jamie Ness and Danny Wilson now knocking on the first-team door and they are undoubtedly part of our future.

"People have complained about our youth system, but it takes time to work."

Rangers have already offloaded striker Jean-Claude Darcheville to Valenciennes and winger Chris Burke to Cardiff City during January.

But Murray and Smith have previously gone on record to say that a player had to be sold during the January transfer window.

And some supporters issued a 17-point list of complaints under the headline "We Deserve Better".

Murray has responded, calling on the fans to unite behind a strategy designed to compensate for financial losses of this season being exacerbated by the current economic climate.

"In November, I did say that we needed to prune the squad and essentially move six or seven players," he said.

"However, I also said that if there was an emergency then we would bring in a player if required.

"I spoke to Walter and confirmed the need to bring in funds to compensate for the fact we are going to make a loss this year.

"However, if we don't sell any of our players during this window then we don't sell any of our players this window."

Fleck, meanwhile, has targeted a cup double after helping the Ibrox side reach the Co-operative Insurance Cup final with a 3-0 win over Falkirk at Hampden on Tuesday.

"After winning the Scottish Cup medal last season, it would be great to get another in the Co-operative Cup," he said, while recognising that he might be used sparingly by Smith.

"I definitely feel a part of it this season, but obviously he knows better than me.

"He's more experienced. I'm still a young boy, so I keep needing to do what I'm doing and hopefully I get more chances."

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