STEVEN LENNON knows Rangers' good performances in Europe will only make it harder for him and his pals to break into Walter Smith's top team. But the talented striker is hoping the gaffer will give his batch of superkids the chance to prove the future is bright at Ibrox. Lennon has already tasted first-team action and is desperate for more outings to expand his experience. However, the hitman is canny enough to realise that with players such as Kris Boyd, Daniel Cousin, Jean-Claude Darcheville, Nacho Novo and Steven Naismith performing at the top level, he won't just wander into the side. Lennon, though, is keen for the Rangers support to see that it is not just the top-team which is thriving. Ibrox punters got a glimpse of the future as their youngsters romped to league and cup glory last term and Lennon knows he and his pals will get more opportunities under Smith if they prove their worth. He said: "As a young player at a club like Rangers, you have to wait. You can't just get thrown into the team. "You need to be put in gradually but if we keep playing as we are doing I'm sure we'll get chances. "Obviously, all of us hope that we can be involved at some stage. Perhaps, some of the games in the CIS Cup or maybe 10 minutes in SPL matches here and there. "We know it is going to be hard because there is a big squad and it is difficult for the manager to throw in a young player at any time. "But we just need to be patient, plug away in the reserves and prove that we are good enough if a chance comes along. "There are a lot of top players at the club and we need to keep trying to progress. "The guys here are great but who knows, we could grow up and be even better than them when we are older and more experienced if we can keep progressing. "The manager showed at the end of last season when myself and Andrew Shinnie played against Kilmarnock and Aberdeen that we would get a chance. "I think we did all right and maybe there will be another chance at the end of this season. "There is a good batch of young players chapping on the door just waiting to get a chance." Lennon and his young pals received no end of adulation last season, especially after their thumping 4-0 Youth Cup final win over Celtic at Hampden which was witnessed by 8000 Rangers fans. There is no chance of the players thinking they've made it just yet, though. Lennon sees the situation which developed for former colleague Ross McCormack as the ideal warning to any Ibrox kid whose feet are starting to grow a little too big for their Umbros. He said: "Ross was doing well under Alex McLeish, getting some chances in the first team, and he even scored in the Champions League against Porto. But when Paul Le Guen came in he didn't fancy him. "It's all about managers' opinions and Ross was out of the club. He is doing really well at Motherwell now but it just shows you how things can change." Midfielder Shinnie is another who is prepared to bide his time and learn from the talents at Ibrox. The Aberdonian, like Lennon, has enjoyed a shot in the first-team and wants more of the same. However, his concentration is placed firmly on proving himself on a weekly basis to Smith and the rest of the Ibrox coaches. Shinnie sees Rangers' first-team form as invaluable to his learning curve and the likes of Barcelona appearing at Ibrox, as they did in the Champions League this week, offers more priceless pointers. He said: "It was great just to see all of those world-class players on the pitch. "Just watching Barcelona keep the ball is great for our development and you try to take things into your own game. "To get to that level would mean you are doing really well. It's great to see our own first-team in training. As a midfielder myself, I look up to a guy like Barry Ferguson and watch him play. The experienced guys are great with us as they offer help and advice as often as they can. "Normally we train with the youth squad but sometimes we get to join in with the first-team. "Chances are there to mingle and it can only help in our progress. Myself and John Fleck are still in the under-19 squad, so we'll just keep plugging away there. "I want to push for a place in the reserves and getting any part of a first-team match again would be terrific." Fleck, of course, is younger than Lennon and Shinnie, but, at 16, he already knows about pressure. The youngster has had the new Wayne Rooney tag stuck on his shoulders and his impressive progress saw him drafted into the first-team squad on their pre-season trip to Germany. Even more amazingly, Fleck found himself on the subs bench for this season's SPL game at Kilmarnock just days after his birthday. But he said: "My aim at the moment is to try and get myself regularly into the reserve side. "If I can get on the subs bench for the first team at any point, that would be great. Hopefully, it will come but I must concentrate on my own work. "It's been good for me over the past couple of years. There has been a bit of pressure placed on me, but that is just something that you need to deal with in the game. "I have good people at the club to speak to and have experienced heads who can offer advice. "Stepping up to the first-team was a great experience. It was hard but I enjoyed it." For the time being, the boys will have to bide their time, but that doesn't stop Lennon enjoying the feel good factor which has enveloped the top-team. He said: "There is a good buzz around the club just now after the wins over Celtic and Barcelona, so, hopefully, we can just keep moving forward. "The couple of SPL games before Celtic have not been the best for the team but, hopefully, we'll go to Dundee United on Sunday, get a good result, go top of the SPL and stay there." | 
