Rangers: Players attend Murray Park for fitness tests

Several first-team players have attended training with Rangers.

With the club being relaunched, several players have objected to transferring their contracts to the new set-up.

But Neil Alexander, Kirk Broadfoot, Lee McCulloch, Ross Perry and Lee Wallace attended Murray Park with assistant manager Kenny McDowall on Thursday.

Darren Cole, Kane Hemmings, Kyle Hutton, Salim Kerkar and Andrew Mitchell were also there but manager Ally McCoist was absent.

Image caption, Goalkeeper Alexander was amongst those attending fitness tests at Murray Park

However, McCoist is expected to be at the Murray Park training ground on Monday.

Youth team players Scott Gallacher, Chris Hegarty and Kal Naismith also attended the fitness tests.

"Despite a turbulent last few weeks for everyone connected with the club, spirits were high as head of sports science Adam Owen put their players through their paces," Rangers said on their website.

"There was no sign of Alejandro Bedoya or Dorin Goian but they have been given extended holidays and are not scheduled to be back until late next week.

"Carlos Bocanegra and Maurice Edu are also missing for now after their recent internationals with the USA and they are expected in Glasgow again in mid-July."

Last season's captain Steven Davis and other experienced players like Sone Aluko, Steven Naismith and Steven Whittaker have legally challenged the proposed transfer of their contracts from the liquidation-bound Rangers FC plc to the new company being set up by Charles Green, whose group bought the club's assets.

Rhys McCabe, who made his Rangers debut in March, was one of the first players to object to joining the newco while Jamie Ness, another player to come through the youth ranks at Murray Park, also refused such a move and is expected to join Stoke City.

Meanwhile, Rangers say experienced utility player McCulloch "is a likely contender to be named club captain by manager Ally McCoist".