To compound Rangers' misfortune of late, Arthur Gnohere faces nine months on the sidelines with an anterior cruciate ligament injury.

The French central defender limped out of Rangers' reserve game against Brighton last Tuesday but it was hoped that the damage to his knee would not be too serious.

Nevertheless the results of Friday's scan have indicated the worst possible outcome and Gnohere will now miss the remainder of the Championship season.

After Rangers' worst league result in 17 years at the weekend, plus concerns for the health of Ian Holloway, this was the last thing the Club needed and like Clarke Carlisle, Richard Langley and Dan Shittu before him, Gnohere now faces months of painstaking rehabilitation before he can consider playing again.

Frankie Simek has already returned to Arsenal at the end of his loan spell and with Matthew Rose, Gino Padula and Richard Edghill all out injured, the Superhoops' threadbare defence is a real cause for concern.

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