The Scottish champions secured the title at the weekend, despite Smith being unable to spend in the last three transfer windows.

"No-one should believe the title can be won every season unless there is a willingness to let us do some business in the transfer market," he told the Daily Record.

"You can't keep asking this same group to come back and play week in, week out and keep winning.

"These players have given everything and the supporters are the same.

"But the fans have also given their money and although they can celebrate the title they deserve something back."

Smith and his backroom staff have been working without contracts since January and he has yet to confirm whether he will stay at Rangers beyond this campaign.

If there was to be no cash injection, the 62-year-old is unsure whether he would remain at Ibrox to defend the championship.

He said: "I'd have that decision to make.

"But it's not about me or any individual. It's about this club and what we want it to become.

"It's been sinking and I've stayed. But I can only stay so long.

"Look, what I'm saying is, that if the position does not get clarified, it won't matter who is manager.

"We need clarification for the sake of the football side, never mind my position. If we don't get that the club will suffer."

He added: "Sometimes it felt as though we weren't just competing against outside forces but also against powers from within.

"The players have done a remarkable job. They are the real heroes but some of them are on their knees and somebody somewhere has to recognise that.

"We've done our bit. We've probably done more than was expected by those who set the budget, so it isn't unreasonable to ask that they let us know what is happening now.

"Rangers and the club's bankers owe a huge debt to every member of the squad. They have helped save Rangers and that should never be forgotten.

"They should be remembered in the same way as some of the players who drove Rangers to those nine championships when I was here last time."

Meanwhile, Kyle Lafferty has revealed he thought about quitting Rangers during what has been another difficult season for the striker.

But the 22-year-old - who netted the goal that clinched the title - is determined to prove his critics wrong.

He told the Scottish Sun: "I'm not going to deny there have been moments this season when it's got particularly tough and I've thought about leaving Rangers.

"But my team-mates have always been there for me and that's meant a lot. They have lifted my spirits.

"I never want to leave Glasgow classed as a dud.

"In years to come it'd be nice if the fans were saying 'That Lafferty's a good player' or 'That Lafferty, he was a good player for Rangers'. That would do me."

The Northern Ireland international added: "I know I've not really expressed myself in the way I wanted to.

"But I don't want to leave Rangers until I've proved to the gaffer, his coaching staff, my team-mates and the fans that I'm good enough for the club.

"I just want to stay here and prove my critics wrong."