Greg Docherty has moved one step closer to a Rangers exit after three English clubs stepped up their interest in the player.

Millwall we already suggested some weeks ago in a possible deal which could facilitate the arrival of Jake Cooper, plus Kyle Lafferty’s Sunderland and our friends at the Valley Charlton.

Interestingly, all of these would be loan deals which is completely pointless for the player unless it has an option to buy.

We just cannot see this manager giving Docherty a chance at Ibrox, however well he does down south, but the case against it would deeply weaken if Docherty shines in the English Championship as he did in League One.

Charlton and Millwall are of course strong Championship sides, while Sunderland are only League One, which possibly gives the Black Cats a disadvantage, and Rangers’ dealings with Charlton might not have gone so smoothly with the Joe Aribo incident but this would go some way to easing that scar for the Addicks.

If Docherty does go to Charlton, and does as well as he did last season in a division below, the case for him being given a chance at Ibrox increases massively.

And only if that chance is not given then can we truly conclude Steven Gerrard simply doesn’t like him, end of story.

We’ll see how this one goes.