NEIL ALEXANDER finally fulfilled a top-flight dream in January 2008 when Walter Smith brought him to Rangers from Ipswich Town.

Having spent his whole career in Scotland and England's lower leagues, the goalkeeper penned a three and a half-year deal at Ibrox.

Alexander started his senior career in humble surroundings at Stenhousemuir in 1996 and spent two years at Ochilview.

He moved on from there to Livingston, where he won Second and First Division titles in three seasons with the Lions.

His form at Almondvale led to him joining Cardiff City in 2001 and it was there he had his longest spell with a club.

Over six years, Alexander was the Bluebirds' regular keeper, making 234 appearances and helping the Welsh outfit into the Championship.

Ipswich were quick to move for him in the summer of 2007 and the 29-year-old made his presence felt immediately.

He played in each of the Tractor Boys' first 31 games in the 2007/08 season and helped them to a formidable run of results at Portman Road.

With 11 wins and four draws, theirs was the best home record in the league and Alexander conceded just eight goals in that sequence.

He is a player who had worked with Smith previously, back when the Gers manager was in charge of Scotland.

Indeed, it was he who gave Alexander each of his three caps against Switzerland, Bulgaria and Japan.

The keeper arrived as back-up to regular number one Allan McGregor and when the number one choice was injured against Celtic late in the 2007/08 season Alexander got his chance.

It was a meteoric rise for the former Ipswich man as he found himself going from the Championship to a UEFA Cup final in just 5 months.

McGregor returned between the posts for the start of the following season, but after his disciplinary breach on Scotland duty Alexander regained his place for the 2008/09 title run in.

And he played his part in fulfilling a long held desire to call himself a league champion, before keeping a clean sheet as Gers clinched the double with a Scottish Cup triumph over Falkirk.