Smith won his eighth league title as Rangers manager

Manager Walter Smith is savouring the prospect of leading Rangers into the Champions League after securing the Scottish Premier League.

Smith's future had been the subject of speculation ahead of Sunday's title-clinching win over Dundee United.

"When you get to my age, other people look at you retiring," said Smith. "I plan to go on holiday and then come back and face the Champions League.

"We've had a good spirit in our team. I'm pleased for everybody."

The Ibrox side trailed Celtic for much of the season before making a late charge to finish top.

"I felt at the stage in late December when we were well behind Celtic that we would lose out, but we haven't and that's fantastic," Smith told BBC Scotland.

An early exit from Europe prefaced Rangers' season and Smith also tasted defeat in the Co-operative Insurance Cup final to Celtic before Barry Ferguson was deposed as Ibrox captain and dropped from first-team action along with goalkeeper Allan McGregor for a breach of discipline in April.

"Early season, we got knocked out by Kaunas and we've managed to get over the one or two problems we've had otherwise," added Smith.

"It's a credit to every one of them, they've been fantastic."

Smith, who became Ibrox boss for a second time in 2007, insisted before the 3-0 win at Tannadice that being able to clinch the championship with victory over United was motivation enough for his players.

That was in response to being asked about Celtic striker Georgios Samaras' assertion that Rangers did not deserve to win the league.

"I don't really care whether people think we're the best team or not, but we've won it," said Smith.

Chief executive Martin Bain paid tribute to Smith, saying: "I don't think anybody really knows how much heart and soul Walter puts into this job and I know more than most.

"I'm absolutely over the moon for him.

It's been a long season and I've never wanted anything more in my life than for those players to win that championship Ally McCoist

"Last year, we got pipped at the last minute in the league but were in a Uefa Cup final and this year we win the championship. He deserves every accolade you could give him.

"I'm absolutely delighted for those supporters. The chairman's delighted."

Rangers were willing to sell top scorer Kris Boyd in January before the striker turned down a proposed move to Birmingham and Smith had been encouraged to trim his squad with the club posting losses for the financial year to December 2008.

And Bain is pleased at the windfall offered by direct entry into the group stages of Europe's premier competition and the impact it could have on this summer's transfer dealings.

"It makes a big difference," added Bain. "The stakes were high today and fortunately we've come through, so we now look forward."

When Smith does move on from his post, assistant Ally McCoist has been heavily tipped to take over.

And the former Rangers striker, who played in Smith's team in the 1990s, was full of praise for his superior.

"You look at the man's record since he came back, never mind before he left," McCoist told BBC Scotland. "It's some achievement.

"If you don't learn off that man then you shouldn't be in the game at all.

"You just need to walk about with your eyes and ears open and your mouth shut occasionally and you can learn an awful lot from that man.

"It's been a long season and I've never wanted anything more in my life than for those players to win that championship."

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