Presenter brands Alex Rae “ridiculous” moments after a Rangers request live on air.

Derek McInnes already has an opportunity to deliver his first trophy as Rangers manager, with the Premier Sports Cup final against Hibernian scheduled for December.

Rangers secured their place in the Hampden showpiece after edging Aberdeen 1-0 in Saturday’s semi-final. It was an untidy contest for long periods, but Ryan Naderi eventually settled the tie with a late finish after James Penrice sent a driven delivery across the penalty area.

Rangers will now face Hibernian in the final on December 13. Hibs booked their place by defeating Edinburgh rivals Hearts.

With Rangers regarded as favourites before the final, former Ibrox midfielder Alex Rae has already started looking ahead to the occasion.

Rae makes cheeky Hampden request

Rangers have an opportunity to win the competition for the second time in their history, having lifted the trophy only once in their previous 15 attempts. Victory against Hibernian would allow Rangers to increase their advantage over Celtic to seven titles, adding another incentive to McInnes and his players.

Rae clearly wants to witness the potential triumph from inside Hampden and made his feelings known during a live appearance on Clyde 1 Superscoreboard.

While discussing the forthcoming final, the former Rangers midfielder jokingly suggested that he would appreciate an invitation from someone connected to the club.

“As I was saying to you during the break, it would be nice to get an invite from somebody in hospitality in Hampden,” Rae said.

He then clarified exactly what he was hoping for, adding that he was looking to get access to the lounges.

The request immediately prompted a humorous response from programme presenter Andrew Maclean. Maclean laughed and branded Rae “ridiculous” after hearing his cheeky demand.

It was clearly intended as a light-hearted exchange, but Rae’s comments demonstrated how much he is already anticipating another Rangers appearance at Hampden.

Rangers chasing another trophy

For McInnes, however, the final represents something considerably more important than hospitality arrangements.

The Rangers boss has the chance to claim silverware during his first season in charge, and his team will enter the contest with confidence after eliminating Aberdeen.

McInnes will be particularly satisfied with the result because Aberdeen are his former club. Rangers were forced to work hard for their victory, but Naderi’s late strike eventually ended the contest.

The final could also provide McInnes with the opportunity to join an exclusive group of Rangers managers who have delivered League Cup success.

Clement’s recent achievement

Rangers do not have to look too far back for their most recent League Cup-winning manager. Philippe Clement guided the club to success at Hampden in 2023.

Before Clement, supporters have to go back to 2010, when legendary manager Walter Smith led Rangers to another League Cup triumph.

Smith’s victory was part of a particularly successful period for Rangers, who won the competition three times in four seasons as they established dominance in Scottish football.

McInnes now has the chance to add his name to that list.

The current Rangers manager has already experienced the feeling of winning the League Cup. He lifted the trophy with Aberdeen in 2013, meaning another triumph would give him success in the competition with two different clubs.

There would also be an added sense of satisfaction if he could defeat his former employers in the process.

Pressure to deliver at Rangers

Winning trophies is never viewed as a bonus at Rangers. It is part of the expectations placed on every manager who takes charge at Ibrox.

McInnes understands those demands from his own playing career and will know that success in his first available cup competition would provide an immediate boost to his reign.

The manager has already begun building a side capable of grinding out difficult results. The Aberdeen semi-final was hardly a classic, but Rangers found a way to win when it mattered.

That ability could prove valuable again against Hibernian.

Hibs will not simply arrive at Hampden to make up the numbers. They have already demonstrated their competitiveness by defeating Hearts in the semi-final and will believe they can cause another upset.

Nevertheless, Rangers are likely to start the final as favourites. Their squad possesses considerable experience, while McInnes now has the opportunity to secure his first major piece of silverware in charge.

For supporters, the December 13 final promises to be another important Hampden occasion.

Rae may simply be hoping for a comfortable seat in the hospitality lounges, but McInnes will have much bigger ambitions. If Rangers defeat Hibernian and lift the Premier Sports Cup, the manager will have made the ideal start to his trophy-winning era at Ibrox.

The final is still weeks away, but the expectation is already clear: Rangers are expected to win, and McInnes knows exactly what is required.