THE only answer Ally McCoist can give to a demand that he show his medals would be for the Rangers manager to ask if the questioner had a free weekend.

It was perhaps fitting, then, that the acquisition of the Irn-Bru Third Division title came on an extended weekend with an extra day of Easter Monday to comment on McCoist's 23rd major achievement.

As a player with the Ibrox club, the striker won 10 titles, one Scottish Cup and nine league cups, also taking the European golden boot on two occasions. A boot of another sort awaited him if his team had failed this term.

McCoist, a mainstay of the team that drinks together wins together, celebrated his first triumph as a manager by watching Match of the Day.

He is in no doubt, though, as to how the latest addition to his CV should be rated.

"This triumph is massive for us. I don't care what anyone says. Because I can tell you right now, if we had not won the league there are two things to consider. One, I wouldn't be sitting here today. And secondly, it would have been an absolute disaster for the football club. An absolute disaster.''

This verdict was delivered with some feeling and with the unmistakeable ring of truth. It was also given by a personality who has enjoyed success since winning his first title with Rangers in 1987 at Pittodrie.

He admitted nothing could match the thrill of that first championship but added: "The value to the club of this championship is far greater than any of the more recent titles they have won. It's the first step back."

It has been exhausting for the manager who has endured a year of living on the edge as the club entered administration, then faced financial meltdown. His post-title routine on Saturday was restrained.

"I celebrated by watching Match of the Day because I was absolutely shattered," he said. "It's been mental tiredness. There's a relief there, mixed in with joy and happiness.

"When you look back to what we were faced with at the start of the season – and I make no apology for saying it again – 36 hours before our first game we still had no licence to play, we had to cancel three pre-season tours and only six players turned up for the first day of pre-season training. It was an absolute shambles.

"At the time we had no idea what SFL3 was like, so we had no idea whether the lads we had were good enough to get us over the line. We were trying to judge them as we went along but they've been fine."

He is prepared to face more stress, saying: "It ain't going to change."

He added: "It's been really mentally demanding. I would be lying if I said it wasn't. But that's where we are. Nothing will change."

This sombre prediction was complemented, however, by McCoist insisting: "I'm right up for it – I'm well up for it."

But how far is it from the glory days when he rattled in more than 400 senior goals?

"Being a player is completely different in the respect that when you walk out the door after training or when you walk out the door after a game, you can, to a certain degree, switch off. You can get on with your life.

"But when you are managing and coaching that's not the case. The job is with you 24 hours a day. That is a feeling I've had. But that's fine – I don't have a problem with it."

He has already started planning for next season but that task is complicated by the uncertainty engulfing Scottish football. Rangers could be playing in the bottom tier of a three-division league or be recruited for an SPL2.

Whatever the league, McCoist knows he can only bring in free-transfer players. He emphasised that he would seek "eight or nine" recruits before the next campaign. One of his hopes is that an influx of experienced players will aid those such as Lewis Macleod and Barrie McKay.

"They need help," he said. "We need good pros to bring them on. Look at our team now. One of the players we are missing is an 18-year-old kid called Lewis Macleod. I do not think we would have had ourselves saying that at the beginning of the season."

McCoist has found the past year educational, even humbling.

The striker who played at the highest level, winning 61 caps, has been gently surprised at the impact of a walk on the wild side of lower-division football.

"My views have changed a lot because of self-preservation. When I was in the SPL how many times did I moan about the underage rule? Now I'm delighted to have it," he said.

There has been a more specific change brought about by trips to what may be called the outposts of Football PLC.

"I appreciate the smaller clubs," he said. "I used to think we had far too many professional teams. I can understand the argument for that as well. But when you've been to Elgin, Annan, Peterhead, all these places and they are running their business far better than we have over the last 18 months, who am I say they should not be there?"

Asked if this increased his respect, he replied: "I would not say more respect, just more insight. I have always had respect and that has never changed and will not change. I have seen how they are run, community clubs some of them, and it is absolutely fantastic."

There has been a conversion on the lower roads. More than a trophy has been found in a season of unusual journeys.