Boyd is the record goalscorer in the history of the Scottish Premier League
A Rangers fans representative has expressed fears over their ability to replace top goalscorer Kris Boyd, who has confirmed he will quit the club.
The 26-year-old striker has been quoted as saying he will not sign a new contract as he needs a fresh challenge.
Rangers Supporters Club secretary John McMillan said: "Whether we can replace him with someone who can score that many goals is very doubtful indeed.
"These people are hard to get in the market, even if you have the money."
Rangers manager Walter Smith last week admitted that he had given up hope of persuading Boyd to sign a new deal.
And, although the Scottish champions' bankers will allow them to sign new players for the first time in more than a season, McMillan realises that they are unlikely to be able to pay a large transfer fee for a replacement.
There isn't anyone at Ibrox at the moment who can come up with the ratio Boyd has come up with
Rangers Supporters Club secretary John McMillan
"It's particularly disappointing in the present climate," he said. "It just shows how we are really going down the pecking order for players. It's disappointing."
Boyd was often dropped for big games by Smith, who did not think he could play a lone striker role, but consistently topped the club's scoring charts and also replaced Henrik Larsson as the Scottish Premier League's all-time most prolific marksman.
"Frankly, Kris Boyd was sometimes hit or miss," said McMillan. "He was loved by some and not so much by others, but you can't take away his goalscoring record.
"Of course it's a worrying time. If you don't score goals, you don't win games.
"We scored a lot of goals last season and other players have chipped in with 10 and 12 goals, but that's not enough. You need a prolific goalscorer to be up there in the running for the championship.
"He is undoubtedly going to be very difficult to replace. There isn't anyone at Ibrox at the moment who can come up with the ratio Boyd has come up with."
Boyd has yet to confirm where he will be playing his football next season but has been linked with moves to Birmingham, Blackburn, Newcastle and Wolves from England's Premier League, Championship outfit Middlesbrough and Turkish club Kayserispor among others.
"It's disappointing to hear that he feels there is not much more he can achieve at Rangers," added McMillan.
"I don't know what's behind that remark, because he can achieve the SPL title and he can have another run in the Champions League.
"To be perfectly honest, I think it's unlikely he would be going to a club who are going to be involved in the Champions League on a regular basis.
"I don't think, with all due respect to Kris Boyd, he is going to be picked up by one of the top clubs in the Premier League. I don't think very many of them have been chasing him."
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