And with those words from on the ground outside Ibrox, we'll call it a day.

Don't expect to hear from Michael Beale tomorrow since the Rangers statement said a media conference would be held "later in the week".

"I look forward to reconnecting with you all," the new boss told Rangers TV., external

"I've seen all the messages of support that you've given me previously at this club and now on returning and I can't wait to see you all again and get back out there, winning games at Ibrox and winning trophies for you."

Kheredine Idessane
BBC Scotland outside Ibrox

It’s busy at Ibrox but that’s just the drivetime traffic heading home. The real action was on the Rangers website and social media feeds, rather than here at the ground. When news filtered through confirming Michael Beale’s appointment, the reaction from fans I spoke to was mixed. Some said they were happy, that change was needed and that Beale’s familiarity with the squad and club will help him hit the ground running.

One fan wasn’t quite so happy. He pointed to the fact the former Rangers first team coach has only been a manager in his own right for six months. He said he would have wanted him to have more time at QPR before taking on a job the size of Rangers. He did though wish him all the best and give him the benefit of the doubt.

Another fan wished him well in chasing down Celtic. The problem there? The gap is already nine points. Beale’s first competitive match in charge is at home to Hibs a fortnight on Thursday. With the champions not in action until the weekend, if the gap isn’t down to six after Rangers play, Beale will be under pressure. After one game in charge. Welcome back to Glasgow, Michael.

There's no shortage of players and coaches impressed by Michael Beale's methods.

Here are a few snippets from those who have worked with him over the years...

Steven Gerrard: "A lot of people won't have a clue what Michael Beale does on the training pitch, but what he does is really quite special. It would take me 15 to 20 years to become as good as Michael Beale as an on-pitch coach, delivering sessions on a daily basis, so I let Mick be Mick because he's the expert."

Peter Lovenkrands: "What he does with the players on the pitch is phenomenal. I remember he was giving me sessions to take down because I was doing the reserves; he wanted us to copy it. I was loving it. I actually wanted to take part in the training. He's so on the ball. He's so good at what he does. The players love it. His preparation for each game is fantastic to watch."

Ex-Rangers midfielders Andy Halliday and Greg Docherty have also given glowing endorsements, with Halliday telling The Athletic, external "he is probably the best coach I've worked under" and Docherty adding, external that he is the most "devoted" person to football he has ever seen.

You can get an insight into Beale’s life and career, and what former colleagues think of him, by reading this piece.

Talking on talkSPORT before the announcement, Rangers hero Ally McCoist had a few reservations.

He said: "I 100 per cent give him my total support because who ever takes the job you want them to do well but I’m a little bit surprised, I can’t lie to you. I’m a little bit surprised. I’m very aware Michael Beale knows the club and did very well with the players beforehand and the players seem very comfortable with him which is probably the main reason he’s getting the job.

“Flip side of the coin, I’m surprised because they’ve gone for someone with a lack of experience in terms of management. He started very well at QPR but they have lost four of their last five. He’s not getting it on current form. He’s getting it on what he’s done previously under Steven Gerrard. It’s definitely a surprise because I genuinely thought they might have gone for someone with more experience because he is very experienced but he knows the club and was there for a good period with Steven Gerrard and left with Steven Gerrard.

“But it’s obviously a gamble the board feel is worth taking and time will tell. The fans will, understandably, get behind him right away but it’s a big job and the biggest thing he’s got to do is get the recruitment sorted."

Michael Beale will be reconnecting with a fair few of his former players, so can he hit the ground running and can he re-energise the likes of Alfredo Morelos and Ryan Kent, who have been shadows of their former selves this season?

Could he even persuade those two to stay on beyond the summer when their current contracts expire?

Image source, SNS

"Naturally we are hugely disappointed to lose Mick," said QPR director of football Les Ferdinand.

"Our extensive research when we were looking for a new head coach highlighted him as being very-much aligned with the direction we are moving in as a football club.

"The start to the season we have made, coupled with very attractive football being played, gave us cause for optimism as we looked to build on the previous three seasons.

"That optimism remains but there is no doubt it is a blow to lose Mick so soon into his tenure."

Safe to say QPR fans aren't best pleased with Beale's departure.

We probably need to get this out of the way...

QPR fans may be circulating the below interview Michael Beale gave after turning down Wolves a month ago. It might make him squirm a bit now.

"Integrity and loyalty are big things for me,” Beale said. “You don’t give it to receive it back but if those are the values you live by then when you’re put in a position you have to be strong by them.

"I’ve been all in here and I’ve asked other people to be all in so I can’t be the first person to run away from the ship."

He will no doubt argue the emotional pull to go back to Rangers, such a big club, was too much. And anyway, football isn’t exactly known for its loyalty to managers or players, is it?

That's right, Michael Beale has only had 22 games as a manager, winning nine, drawing five and losing eight.

Four of those defeats have come in the West London club’s last five games. Beale made a quick impression, with his side’s style given the now common moniker of *insert manager’s name*-ball’. It all helped burgeon his reputation in England, such that Wolves came calling recently, only for Beale to reject their advances.

After that, results turned and we’ll never know whether he would have got things back on track at Loftus Road. He leaves with QPR seventh in the Championship, a point outside the play-offs.

Michael Beale has only had 22 games as a manager at QPR, but he’s been involved in coaching for two decades.

The Londoner’s playing career ended at the age of 21. And after investing in a futsal facility in a Bromley church hall, he was involved with the Chelsea and Liverpool academies as a coach and also had a short spell as assistant at Brazilian club Sao Paulo.

Steven Gerrard them took him to Rangers as a coach, where they stopped Celtic’s run to 10 titles in a row in 2020-21 with an unbeaten league campaign, after two trophy-less seasons prior to that.

Can he recapture the magic of that 2020-21 season?

Image source, SNS

Might we see the addition of a former Rangers player to the coaching staff?

A few names have been doing the rounds already.

Coaches Neil Banfield, Harry Watling and Damian Matthew are all following Michael Beale from QPR to Rangers.

The club statement adds that "further appointments will be confirmed in the days ahead".

Banfield, who is 60, was first-team coach at Loftus Road and previously worked at Arsenal for nearly 20 years.

Matthew, 52, had roles at Charlton and Millwall after retiring as a player, while Watling, 32, was first-team development coach at QPR and had spells coaching in the academies of Chelsea, Milwall, and West Ham.

Image source, BBC Sport

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Let us know your thoughts here.

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So, what does the new Ibrox gaffer have in store?

Rangers trail Celtic by nine points in the Scottish Premiership, which resumes with Hibs visiting Ibrox on 15 December after the World Cup is out of the way.

Rangers are in the last four of the League Cup and they'll find out who they face first in their defence of the Scottish Cup when the fourth round draw is made later tonight.

Ross Wilson references talks with other managers, but it seems clear Rangers quickly identified Michael Beale as their number one target and landed him in a week.

"I am pleased to welcome Michael back to Rangers today," added the club's sporting director Ross Wilson. "I know how excited he is about everything that comes with the prestige of being Rangers manager.

"Equally our players and staff at both the training ground and at Ibrox are looking forward to working with Michael. He has a clear plan and will get to work with the group straight away along with the technical and support staff.

"Finally, this is a coveted managerial position and after an intense week of discussions, I wish to extend our sincere thanks to all of the excellent managers who we met to discuss the role."

Image source, SNS

"It is fantastic to be back and to see everybody this morning, there are some new faces but some people that I know really well so it is great to see everyone," Michael Beale said in the statement releasing the news.

"It is a wonderful, wonderful football club, it is an institution. For everyone that works here it is a huge privilege, but to be the manager of this football club, that is extremely special. Some wonderful people have sat in this chair prior to me, and I am hugely proud to be the person sat here now."

Michael Beale becomes the 18th manager at Rangers, taking over from Giovanni van Bronckhorst, who was relieved of his duties seven days ago.

It’s all been heading in this direction and now it’s official. Michael Beale is the new manager of Rangers after signing a deal until 2026.

The 42-year-old leaves Queens Park Rangers just five months into his first managerial post to return to Ibrox, where he won a league title as a coach under Steven Gerrard in 2020-21.

All the reaction you could ever hope for, right here for the next wee while.