DAVID WEIR wouldn't have swapped the thrills of Rangers' Uefa Cup run this season, despite the lingering suspicion the European adventure cost the Ibrox side the league title.

The veteran defender had to content himself with a domestic Cup-winning double, but the 38-year-old knows that so much more could have been possible.

However, Weir, who is thinking over the chance to remain at Rangers next season, is refusing to look back on the Uefa drama with anything other than pride.

Carlos Cuellar and Walter Smith have stated their belief that the European run put a significant dent in Rangers' Championship aspirations, particularly in the season's gruelling last month.

But Weir believes that if Rangers were in the same position again they would still aim to win their European games, despite the fact it added to an already hectic fixture list.

"Football is full of disappointments and in my experience it is how you react to it that shapes you as a player and a team," he said.

"I don't think that what has happened this season will have too big an effect on next season.

The way Rangers are, you will always go out with the intention to win every game. No-one at the club would be happy with giving anything less than 100% in any Cup competition.

"There would be no sense in deciding to sacrifice a Cup run for the league or anything else and there is no-one connected with Rangers who would stand for it.

"At a club this size you have to go out to win every game and be as successful as you possibly can be.

"That's what we tried to do this season. We came close but fell at the end and we just need to get on with it.

"The European run was special and I think we all enjoyed the experience. Getting to the Final of a major European tournament is an achievement for the club, but it goes without saying that when we got there we wanted to win it.

"It wasn't to be. But we have the foundations here of a good side with plenty of spirit and character and it's up to us to come back just as strongly again next season."

Weir will spend this week in Largs at an SFA training camp as he works towards his A' coaching badges. However, while the defender already has one eye on a career beyond the playing side of things, he isn't of a mind to hang up his boots just yet.

Having played 60 games for Rangers this season the suggestion is that the player has at least another season in him, albeit that it might not be at Ibrox.

He has been linked with a move to Burnley and, given the fact that his family have remained south of the border during his time at Rangers, it could be that he is set to finish his career at the Championship club. Certainly, though, he is keen to play as long as he can.

"I haven't had a chance to sit down with the manager but we will in the next couple of weeks," he said. "I do feel as though I am still capable of playing at this level and I do think that I have at least another season in me.

"I have spent all my life playing football and I want to do it for as long as I can. I'll keep playing until someone tells me one day that I can't.

"You would have to ask the manager what he thinks of the fact I've played more than 60 games this season. I don't know if he looks at that and thinks that I'd be worth keeping for another year.

"He is the manager and he makes these kind of decisions but I certainly feel that I still have something to give. I will definitely still be playing next season. I don't think there are many better places to play football than Rangers, but we will see what the manager's thoughts are on the matter."

When Queen of the South scored twice inside two frantic minutes to level the Scottish Cup Final at Hampden, there were a few anxious heartbeats within the Ibrox squad.

Weir admits having started to sweat, but he believes a slump from Rangers was inevitable given the sheer volume of games they were asked to play.

Walter Smith's side had four games within a week and Weir pulled no punches when he insisted it was an entirely unfair end to the campaign.

"There were a lot of worries when the score went to 2-2 on Saturday, but thankfully we managed to keep our composure. I don't think it was a huge surprise, because the tiredness is there for everyone to see.

"We played in Aberdeen last Thursday night and then played the Scottish Cup Final on Saturday afternoon and if you sit down and think about it, it is a bit of a disgrace.

"In the end I think it was mental strength that got us through the Final.

"We played four games in one week and I don't know how many in the last month, so I think it's fair to say that the quality is always going to suffer because it would be impossible for it not to.

"I enjoyed the game and it was nice to have a medal and get another trophy in for the club, but I do think that it was a tremendous drain on us in terms of playing the Cup Final less than 48 hours after the last game of the season at Pittodrie."