Boyd fights to stay at Rangers in face of Smith's need to sell

Prolific striker wants to remain at Ibrox despite club's financial problems

(PA)

Kris Boyd insists it is up to Rangers whether they try to sell him again this summer.

The prolific striker looked to be on his way out of Ibrox in January when the Glasgow club agreed a fee with Birmingham City. The move broke down over personal terms, something which appears not to have affected Boyd, who scored his 29th goal of the season in Saturday's 3-0 Scottish Cup semi-final win against St Mirren.

It was also his 100th for the club in just 146 games, one of the best strike rates in Rangers' history. But his feats are unlikely to prevent the club cashing in on him if they receive a similar offer to that made by Birmingham when the transfer window reopens.

"That's up to them – whatever they want to do, they can do," Boyd said. "Whatever happened in January happened and it's not worth a thought. I've got my head down and worked hard from then until the end of the season. We'll see what happens."

Birmingham wanted Boyd to spearhead their campaign for promotion to the Premier League, a goal which hangs in the balance with one game of the Championship season remaining. The striker refused to be drawn on whether the Blues would be home and dry by now if he was in the team. He said: "I cannot look at that. I decided to stay and the focus for me then was on Rangers."

Indeed, Boyd claims that if it was up to him, he would remain at Ibrox for the rest of his career. "I'm happy here and I want to continue to play at Rangers and I want to keep scoring goals at Rangers," he said.

As much as the poor state of the club's finances was behind the willingness to sell Boyd in January, manager Walter Smith has often suggested he brings little more than goals to Rangers' play. Since moving to Ibrox from Kilmarnock three years ago, Boyd has found himself dropped for big matches. But since the turn of the year he has been a virtual ever-present and assistant manager Ally McCoist was at pains to point out on Saturday how much his all-round game had improved. "I have worked a bit harder," Boyd said, "and the goals have still been there. So, as long as I can continue that, hopefully I can stay in the team until the end of the season and, hopefully, we can win the championship and Scottish Cup."

Boyd credited McCoist – Rangers' record scorer with 355 goals in 581 games – with being a part in his development. He said: "I think he's helped me along the way, because there have been times I've been down. All the coaches here have helped all the boys along the way but I think, with Coisty being a striker as well, he has helped me probably mature into a better player."

Boyd's improvement has not been enough to convince his fellow professionals to nominate him for the PFA Scotland Player of the Year award. Shrugging off the snub, he threw his weight behind the claims of team-mates Pedro Mendes and Steven Davis, the second of whom shone in Saturday's win at Hampden.

Boyd said: "Obviously, I can't vote for Pedro and Stevie Davis but I think the two of them have been outstanding. When you look at Stevie Davis' performance on Saturday, I think it was a delight to watch."

With all that has happened to Boyd this season, it is one he is unlikely to forget in a hurry. But the striker is determined to take happy memories on holiday with him this summer. "I don't think you forget any season. It's always got its ups and downs, no matter what happens. Hopefully, it's the right reasons come the end of the season that I remember it for."