Walter Smith will treat Dundee as a fellow Clydesdale Bank Premier League side when he takes Rangers to Dens Park for their Co-operative Insurance Cup quarter-final tie on Tuesday night.

Dens Park director Calum Melville is bankrolling the Tayside club's bid to get back in to the SPL and they took a step towards that on Saturday by going top of the Irn-Bru First Division with a 2-1 win over Raith Rovers.

Smith, a former Dundee United player and coach, was delighted to take time away from discussing the Ibrox club's off-field problems.

The Govan club, who are looking for a new owner, appear to be at loggerheads with their boss over the issue of who is running Rangers.

After Saturday's 1-1 home draw with Hibernian, Smith claimed the Lloyds Banking Group was running the club and all his squad have been up for sale since January.

Rangers issued a statement the following day saying the bank was supportive and no player need be sold when the next transfer window opens in January.

To add to the confusion, a further statement was issued by Lloyds on Monday claiming they are not running the club.

Smith refused to add any more fuel to the fire and was happier discussing football matters - and a potentially tricky tie in Dundee.

"Dundee are an SPL side in all but name," he said.

"I always imagine them being in the top flight and they are favourites to get there.

"But like every team they have to get out of what is a very competitive division.

"We have played a number of First Division team over the past couple of seasons in cup ties and they have always been difficult.

"So this will be the big game for everyone."

The extra finance behind Dundee has raised expectations but the stress was eased when Dundee moved top with the win over Raith.

And boss Jocky Scott feels his players can just concentrate on enjoying their football tonight.

"There's no pressure on us," he said. "All the pressure is on Rangers because they're expected to win.

"During the league games, normally the pressure is on us as the opposition raise their game.

"Tonight, we can enjoy it. They did that against Aberdeen and we're looking for the same level of performance. "

The pressure on Scott to take Dundee up may be intense but it pales when compared to the spotlight Smith is forced to work under as Rangers bid to stay ahead of Celtic amid huge financial problems.

Former Dundee United manager Jim McLean has urged his old assistant to quit when his contract expires in January but fellow 61-year-old Scott knows why his friend carries on.

Scott said: "I understand why Walter wants to continue and why he's put himself in the firing line - it's great.

"We all enjoy it, everyone in management goes into it because you want first of all to show you're capable of doing a job. And at the same time you enjoy it."