Rangers manager Ally McCoist has defended his decision to bring in a plethora of new signings during the summer transfer window.

McCoist has already recruited seven players - Cammy Bell, Jon Daly, Nicky Law, Arnold Peralta, Steven Smith, Richard Foster and Nicky Clark - during the close season and is hopeful of doing even more business.

His activity has raised questions over whether so many new faces are actually needed, but McCoist believes that his side need as big a squad as possible to cope with other teams raising their game against the fallen giants.

"Of course we [need them] because we are a completely different club to any other club in Scotland. As everybody saw last year, when Clyde and Stirling Albion and Elgin play against Rangers, it's a different Clyde and Stirling Albion and Elgin that will play Berwick Rangers. That isn't a criticism of any of those clubs but it's a fact. The managers will tell you that - they got a different reaction out of the players when playing against Rangers than they did playing other teams," said McCoist.

"For that reason, we certainly need to be stronger because we are playing higher tempo games and we need to have a bigger squad. The Rangers fans deserve the best players they can get and the best team they can get. By that I mean the one that we can afford to put on the park. The one thing about managers, especially the Rangers manager, is you're never in a position to long-term plan.

"If I long-term plan and take my eye off next week, I won't be here - it's a simple as that. The next couple of months is my priority. Of course the long-term future of the club is vitally important to myself and all the staff and the fans. But as soon as I take my eye off the next three or four weeks, you're in trouble. It's my job to get a team ready for the start of the season that will do the club justice."

Rangers will begin next season in the Scottish Second Division following their promotion from the bottom tier last season.