There is often little time for a new signing to adapt at a club like Rangers - even less so on the back of a summer like this one, including 16 exits and a squad rebuild.

Robin Propper thought long and hard before making a move in the other direction. He was captain at FC Twente and had recently led his side to third-placed in the Eredivisie. Champions League qualifiers were on the horizon and there was no pressing reason to end a happy marriage.

However, a desire to embark on an overseas adventure with his family and experience a new footballing culture prevented Propper from becoming comfortable and catalysed a change. When Rangers triggered a clause in his contract before the end of July to secure a cut-price deal, Propper’s mind was made up. Scenes like the ones witnessed on Sunday in Dundee reminded the 30-year-old why he made the move despite a rocky first collective month for all at Ibrox in August.

Propper was FC Twente's captain before joining Rangers (Image: SNS Group) “Yeah, of course, it was nice to see how many fans were here. I have never experienced that in Holland, an away stadium with so many of our fans,” Propper said discussing Rangers’ 1-0 win over Jim Goodwin’s Dundee United.

Next Saturday will offer the Dutchman his first taste of Ibrox after building delays in the Copland stand resulted in Rangers decanting to Hampden for the start of the season.

“Especially if you can do that in Ibrox together, it is really special and I think it will be a big difference for us,” Propper continued.

“I am looking forward to it a lot, it's one of the reasons you look forward to coming to Rangers to be part of that with the fans and the stadium. I am really glad that's now going to happen. I hope we can improve and do good things there.”

Simply, Sunday’s trip to Tayside was a game that Philippe Clement’s side needed to win. Propper and his fellow new signings were given an early taste of the negatives of such a large and passionate support base following a 3-0 Old Firm defeat prior to the international break. With the wait for a win in that league fixture stretching, in effect, three years, frustrations boiled over for some who travelled to Ibrox as the team bus returned.

“We had to bounce back from two weeks ago, so we had to do something,” Propper added on his side's return to winning ways.

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“I think we started really well and played some really good football from left to right. We had some chances, I think the goal from Tom [Lawrence] was really good to see his quality there. After we had a lot of chances to make it 2-0. In the end, if you don't score a second goal it's going to be more difficult, especially in the second half they brought on more strikers. But in the defence, we did well and didn't have many chances against us. So, the 1-0 was I think how it was supposed to be.

“It was disappointing two weeks ago but then you move on, talk about those games and learn from it so we improve in the following weeks. You have to win the next match you play, that was today. It was important we show the fans. It was really nice to see the fans in the stadium like this, to show what we can do. We did it overall, especially in the first half."

The win on Sunday lunchtime was also Rangers’ third clean sheet of the season in a game where little threatened to beat Jack Butland. United’s 0.28xG and 0 shots on target tell of a defensive unit that looked more secure and settled on the day. Tom Lawrence's early goal scored after seven minutes would prove enough to take all three points back to Glasgow.

Propper has been joined by John Souttar at the heart of defence (Image: SNS Group)

Propper and John Souttar have been Clement’s favoured defensive partnership so far and alongside 20-year-old left-back Jefte, the experienced Dutch centre-back thinks time will only help to improve his side’s resolve.

“You have to evolve and improve. I am new so I have to get used to the football, my players, my opponents,” he concluded.

“That takes some time. I try to do my best and you see in moments we have good quality in defence and in the attack. We can improve that and I try to do my best. With John and Jefte, we're doing really well to improve.”