WALTER SMITH will urge his shattered players to find one last effort and win the Scottish Cup.

The crushed Rangers squad arrived home at 1am this morning - just 38 hours before they have to face Queen of the South in the season finale at Hampden Park tomorrow.

A 2-0 defeat at Aberdeen killed off their SPL title dream, although the result was academic as Celtic beat Dundee United 1-0 at Tannadice.

Just like last week, when he had to try and lift his side after they lost the Uefa Cup Final in Manchester, Smith and his backroom team face a huge task to get tired bodies and minds focused on the Cup Final against the First Division Queens.

But the Rangers manager said: "We just have to regroup and get focused. It's the Scottish Cup Final, the last game of the season, and we want to win so things can end on a brighter note.

"Obviously we are all down. The players wanted to win the league last night. But we have a chance to win the last trophy of the season and we turn to that now."

Smith will be without the suspended Nacho Novo who was red-carded last night for an wild tackle on Dons midfielder Stuart Duff.

The Spaniard was also unavailable for the CIS Insurance Cup victory over Dundee United after his dismissal against Hibernian in the Scottish Cup.

His sending-off for violent conduct means he automatically sits out the next game in any competition, and Smith said: "It was hard to see it from the dug-out area. But, if he hasn't got the ball, then he deserved to be sent off."

Smith refused to be drawn on what the future holds for players such as veterans Davie Weir and Christian Dailly, and on-loan midfielder Steven Davis.

Clearly, though, there will be major comings and goings again this summer as he rebuilds the squad for next season.

"We have a game against Queen of the South coming up tomorrow, and that has to be the focus. The other issues can wait," said the Rangers manager.

He also refused to seek any excuses for the punishing fixture list that saw Rangers play eight games in 22 days up until Pittodrie last night.

"We were in a position to win the league and we let things slip," he said. "That is probably the most disappointing aspect.

"We had to try and deal with an exceptional set of circumstances in terms of the games, but we haven't managed it and there is clear disappointment in that."