Rangers: Billy Davies backed for manager's post by Kris Boyd

Billy Davies made his debut as a player for Rangers at the age of 17

Rangers should consider Billy Davies to replace departed manager Mark Warburton, says the club's former striker Kris Boyd.

Davies, 52, has been out of coaching for almost three years since he was sacked 13 months into his second spell at Nottingham Forest.

Boyd spent time on loan at Forest during Davies' first stint and told BBC Scotland: "He'll do anything to win.

"It's a results-driven world and, for me, there's not a better man."

Boyd, 33, moved to the City Ground in March 2011, scoring six goals in 10 league games for Forest, where Davies had been since December 2008 after time in charge at Derby, Preston and Motherwell.

Davies was sacked by the two-time European Cup winners at the end of that season - but recruited again in early 2013.

"He's a winner," added Boyd, who was a prolific finisher at Ibrox from 2006 to 2010 and had a second, less successful, spell in the Championship campaign of 2014-15 before returning to Kilmarnock for a third time.

"When you see some of the runs he's been on at clubs, the records he's broken, he has something that can bring out the best in people.

"He got me back scoring goals inside a week after a difficult few months not playing at Middlesbrough. That didn't happen by coincidence.

"It wasn't just me. There were three or four others at Forest who were lacking a bit of fitness and he had us out on bike runs at seven in the morning.

"A lot of the good work he's done in England has gone unnoticed up here.

"And if you go back as far as Motherwell, they were fighting relegation when he took over. He kept them up and then they were challenging for Europe.

"When you look at the stats, I don't think there's much comes near him."

Rangers announced Warburton's departure on Friday, along with assistant David Weir and head of recruitment Frank McParland, while youth coach Graeme Murty oversaw Sunday's 2-1 Scottish Cup win over Morton.

Billy Davies played for Rangers in the early 1980s before spells at St Mirren, Leicester, Dunfermline and Motherwell

'McLeish a serious contender'

Former Ibrox captain Barry Ferguson says Rangers will look for "a short-term solution" and reckons Alex McLeish fits the bill.

The 58-year-old, who was manager for five years until 2006, has said it would be difficult to turn down the opportunity to make a return.

"He knows what the club is all about, he knows the traditions and what is expected," said Ferguson, who played under McLeish for Scotland, Rangers and Birmingham.

"I saw his interview and it looked to me like he would take it in a minute. If he got offered it, I think he'd be a good choice.

"He assembled a good team at Rangers and we had a real togetherness.

"He wanted us to work hard and play attacking football. In training, as well as matches, he demanded that you outwork whoever you were up against.

"He has more experience now - and if they are looking for someone to take over until the end of the season he's a serious contender."

Barry Ferguson and Alex McLeish celebrate Scottish Cup success in 2002