Livingston defender Jack Fitzwater aims to be a leader in his second season in Scotland.

Livi have undergone a major summer transition and the centre-back wants to shoulder some responsibility for moulding the new-look team together.

Speaking ahead of Saturday’s cinch Premiership opener against Rangers at Ibrox, the former West Brom trainee and Walsall loan player said: “We have had a big overhaul in the squad so it’s new faces and younger players so we are going to have to get to grips quite quickly.

“I was speaking about it to some of the lads, I’m 23 and in any other dressing room I’m the youngster. But I have to step up this season and be more of a leader and more of the experienced ones. That’s a role I want to take up.

“Last season, when I got here, It was a lot different to English football. A lot of the boys have found that out and you get to grips with it quite quickly. Any tips I can give them I will do.

“I want to play a big role in the team, as many games as possible, and if I get the shirt I have got to keep it.

“And hopefully keep more clean sheets and concede less goals than last season because I know that’s an area we can improve on.”

Some of Livingston’s newcomers would have got an idea of the task they face at Ibrox after Steven Gerrard’s side defeated Real Madrid in a friendly last weekend.

“Even if they lost to Real Madrid, you know you are coming up against a quality side, they are the champions for a reason,” Fitzwater said.

“We saw last year how strong they were, they went undefeated and I think we were the only team to keep a clean sheet against them.

“We have to take some kind of spirit from that game into Ibrox. If we can do some of the stuff we did that day, then I don’t see why we can’t pick up any points.”