GLASGOW, Scotland — Rangers manager Ally McCoist paid tribute to the troubled club's fans after 49,118 packed into Ibrox to watch Saturday's 5-1 thrashing of East Stirling, a world-record attendance for fourth-tier soccer.

"It was quite unbelievable really," said McCoist. "I looked out of the office at 1:30 today and Edmiston Drive was chockablock.

"It was fantastic. It's a statement and it's really encouraging.

"When you're getting support like that from the fans, you can only go one way and we must go forward."

The Glasgow club, demoted to the Scottish Third Division following its liquidation, marked its first home game in the bottom tier in spectacular fashion.

Rangers smashed the previous record crowd at that level — set in 1961 when 37,774 watched Crystal Palace's English Fourth Division clash against south London rivals Millwall.