Aberdeen defender Shay Logan feels Rangers and its supporters may have underestimated the strength of the Scottish Premiership.
The Dons will try to take a step closer to a third successive runners-up finish in the top flight with a victory against Ross County at Pittodrie this afternoon.
Many tipped Rangers to emerge as Celtic’s closest challengers following promotion from the Championship.
Despite a much bigger budget, the Ibrox side trail Derek McInnes’ side in the race to finish best of the rest and full back Logan feels the Glasgow club wasn’t anticipating life to prove quite so difficult.
He said: “It’s good to have Rangers in the league, it makes it a stronger and more entertaining competition.
“There’s a lot more hype around the Aberdeen and Rangers matches and the Celtic and Rangers matches. But I said at the start of the season, Rangers have to worry about teams like us and Hearts. They have come up from the Championship and it’s a totally different league. The teams are a lot stronger.
“Rangers supporters love their team and love what they are, but they have to understand the Premiership is a whole different league.
“Maybe this will be the year that Rangers think ‘it is harder than we thought’, and maybe go about it a different way next season.”
Logan is hoping to continue his remarkable scoring run against the Staggies today.
The Aberdeen defender has scored 12 goals in 145 appearances during his time at Pittodrie – but five have been against County.
The Englishman scored the winner in this month’s 1-0 win for the Dons in the Scottish Cup a fortnight ago, having also hit the back of the net in the 4-0 victory against the Staggies on October 15 last year.
Logan also netted a double in the 3-2 success in Dingwall on January 17 last year and another in a 4-0 win on Saturday, February 2015.
He said: “I would never count myself as a prolific goalscorer but I know I’ll get four or five a season.
“I get myself into situations and positions where I get chances. It’s always nice to score but for me, if anyone scores and we win 1-0 or 5-0 and I don’t score, I’m more than happy. As long as we get the right result.
“I’ve got five goals in the last five or six games against County and they just seem to be a team that I normally take my chances against. I’d love to do that again if I get the chance.”
