Criticism is unfair - Smith

the Scottish game.

Said Smith: ''I feel aggrieved at times that this club is not given

credit for what we are trying to achieve here. We are attracting almost

full houses to our home games and are trying to bring good quality

players to the club, the kind of players that people want to watch.

''Yet we are dragged into this talk about a country in crisis. I don't

think it's fair. It certainly does not reflect what we are doing at

Ibrox.''

Earlier, Smith had saluted his players for their achievement and

stressed: ''I don't want to go into speculation about players who might

be coming here at this moment. It is more important to thank the players

who have won another title.

''There are some who have been the backbone of what has been a very

difficult season for the club. There have been tremendous contributions

from Richard Gough, David Robertson, Stuart McCall, Brian Laudrup, Mark

Hateley and, earlier in the season, Andy Goram.

''We have also seen two young players, Charlie Miller and Craig Moore

come into the team and play 20-odd games each and handle the situation

well.

''It was a difficult season because we had so many injuries but I

think we won this championship during November and December when we put

together a string of important results.

''After the new year, we ran into injuries and, obviously, that

affected us. But the players did extremely well and the team deserves

great credit for the way they performed.

''Every year we have won the title, my admiration for what Celtic

achieved in going nine years in a row grows.

''It was a tremendous achievement and all we can do is hope that we

can match or maybe beat it.''

Later, Gough turned to the same subject and insisted: ''I think you

have to examine the two achievements. Obviously, nine titles in

succession was a marvellous thing for Celtic -- but that was in the old

first division.

''This time you are looking at seven premier division titles in

succession. In my view there is a big difference and I think it is a

record that will last a very long time.

''I think the manager has made an enormous contribution, first as the

man who backed Graeme Souness, and then in his own right.

''As far as I'm concerned he's always been my guiding light since I

arrived here as a 17-year-old from South Africa.

''I was fortunate that he was at Tannadice when I started.''

Laudrup, the man who has made such an enormous contribution to this

title victory added: ''I know that this is the seventh championship for

Rangers, but, for me, winning a title is always a special feeling.

''Some people said to me it would be easy because Rangers are always

winning but it has not been as easy as people said.

''Other teams want to win the championship, other teams mount their

own challenges, and each year I think it becomes more difficult.

''I am just happy that this is one of the targets I set for myself and

it has been achieved.

''The manager allowed me a free role to demonstrate my skills and that

was a major factor in the way I have played this season.''

Hibs manager Alex Miller said: ''Rangers obviously had most of the

game but with six minutes left I thought we might still get a point. Jim

Leighton had some magnificent saves in that second half.''

Smith, too, praised Leighton. He pointed out: ''Leighton had a couple

of fabulous saves. There was one from Alan McLaren in the first half and

another from Alexi Mikhailichenko after half time.

''I would have been very disappointed, however, if we had not won. We

certainly played well enough to get a result even though it arrived

late.''