Rangers' double swoop

there is little doubt both players felt relieved to be getting away from

Dundee United and absolutely thrilled at the prospect of playing for

Rangers.

Walter Smith made his double signing for a cost of only #750,000,

which constitutes a decent afternoon's work since Bollan is a current

Scottish under-21 internationalist and Cleland a former regular in the

same side, and, although it appears Rangers have secured the best part

of the deal, United will not be too unhappy, either.

They were to be taken to court by Bollan, who through the Scottish

Professional Footballers' Association, was disputing the legality of his

contract.

He had signed a four-year deal with an option clause of similar

length, which meant he was facing a further four years at Tannadice.

Cleland already had done his eight years, but both say they are now

looking forward to the challenge of securing a first-team place with a

team which is much bigger than anything they have ever known.

They have signed on at Ibrox for the remainder of this season and then

three full seasons more and Smith expects to get good service from both.

Cleland, regarded by many as the brighter prospect of the two, said:

''It is up to us now that we have been given this chance to prove we are

good enough to play in this team.''

They certainly will find the atmosphere within Ibrox different from

what they have become accustomed to inside Tannadice, where relations

have been strained in recent times, and, as they sat on either side of

their new manager yesterday, both were still trying to come to terms

with the dramatic change which circumstances effected.

They were training as normal yesterday morning when United chairman

Jim McLean arrived on the scene and told them they had to go back to

Tannadice.

''On the way back he told us we were wanted by Rangers,'' Cleland

said. ''It was sudden and we had no idea. We have been given the chance

of a lifetime.''

Smith asked about Cleland earlier in the week and was told he and

Bollan were available, and, if you were a cynic, you might say United

would have been happy to have Bollan included in the deal in order to

end the controversy which has settled over them because of their

practice of using option clauses. Now, it is believed, only four players

remain on long-term contracts at Tannadice.

For once, a transaction between Rangers and United has gone smoothly

with Smith saying business between himself and McLean was

straightforward. Although it appears McLean was the one doing business

at United's end, their manager, Ivan Golac, was trying hard last night

to spend the new money.

''If I bring off one of the deals I am working on, it would be a

fantastic signing for Dundee United,'' he said.

Golac arranged for a Portuguese defender to fly in on Wednesday and

added: ''The player will be with us until next Thursday and I will have

a look at him when we play a second-team game against Aberdeen at

Pittodrie.''