Rangers youngster Charlie McCann sees 'clear pathway' to first team
Four youngsters made their debut in Tuesday's 3-1 win over Queen of the South
Charlie McCann believes the route to first-team football at Rangers was shown in the 3-1 Premier Sports Cup win over Queen of the South at Ibrox on Tuesday night.
Boss Giovanni van Bronckhorst changed the whole team from the one which started the 4-0 win over Ross County in the cinch Premiership at the weekend, with 18-year-old striker Robbie Ure making a scoring debut in a side which also included 18-year-old Leon King and 19-year-old fellow defender Adam Devine.
Midfielder McCann, 20, who signed from Manchester United in 2021, came on as a second-half substitute for his fifth appearance for the Light Blues in a game where a Scott Arfield double helped Rangers into the quarter-final draw, with Zak Lovelace, Paul Nsio and Archie Stevens, all 16, making their debuts off the bench.
McCann said: "For all the B team lads and the (under) 18 lads it just shows them there is a clear pathway to the first team and the boss will give us opportunities. I think that is definitely the message.
"So it is obviously a really positive thing to be a young player at this club at the moment.
"If we get our opportunities and do well then hopefully we get more and that's definitely what I am striving for anyway.
"It is obviously a positive thing to be able to go out there at Ibrox and get a kick of the ball.
"It was a good opportunity for the boss to give a run out to people who haven't had the minutes.
"To get the win and get through to the next round is the main objective.
"We probably made it a little bit tighter than we needed to but we got through and that's all that matters."
Van Bronckhorst, who now turns his attention to the Old Firm derby against Celtic at Parkhead on Saturday when Rangers will look to claw back a two-point deficit at the top of the table, was "really happy with the performances of the young players" against the League One side.
He said: "It is not easy to come into games like that. They heard on Monday they would be involved in the game and I spoke with them about the match and giving them minutes.
"I think you saw some bright things from Stevens, and Nsio is a strong midfielder, both only 16.
"Lovelace is a young player as well and big talent, and Ure, of course, started the game.
"We had Leon King and Adam Devine, who are both still very young, so I think the academy is the big part for this club. I just love working with them to inspire them and give them chances to play."
Rangers Legends
Ally McCoist
Ally McCoist is the clubs' record goal scorer, landing 355 goals in his 581 appearances. He played for the club from 1983-1998. McCoist also won two back-to-back European Golden Shoe's, in 1991/92 and 1992/93. While playing for Rangers, McCoist won 20 trophies.
The club legend managed the side from 2011-2015, where he won a League One title and a Third division title.
John Greig
Often called 'the greatest Ranger', Greig holds the record for the most appearances made for the side. He made 755 appearances between 1961-1978, where he also scored 120 goals and won 16 trophies.
Sandy Jardine
Right back Sandy Jardine made 674 appearances for Rangers and scored 77 goals. Jardine won two domestic trebles in 1975/76 and 1977/78. Jardine won 14 trophies at Rangers, including their only European trophy.
Davie Cooper
Davie Cooper made 540 appearances for Rangers where he scored 75 goals. He won 13 trophies while at the club.
Bill Struth
Bill Struth was the second manager of Rangers Football Club, and lead the club for 34 years between 1920 and 1954. Struth won a record 18 Scottish league championships, 10 Scottish Cups and two Scottish League Cups.
Walter Smith
Smith managed Rangers from 1991-1998, where he won 13 major trophies in seven years, including seven league titles in succession. He returned to Rangers in January 2007, where we went on to win eight trophies during his second spell as Rangers manager and guided the team to the 2008 UEFA Cup Final. This would be Walter Smith's final managerial job as he retired in 2011.
Brain Laudrup
Brian Laudrup won three consecutive league titles for rangers between 1994 and 1998. He scored 44 goals in his 150 appearances.
Paul Gascoigne
Paul Gascoigne played for Rangers from 1995-1998, where he won two consecutive titles and two doubles. Gazza scored 39 goals in his 103 appearances.
Richard Gough
Richard Gough played for Rangers from 1987-1998 where he won 18 trophies, including nine consecutive Scottish Premier Division titles. The right back made 244 appearances and scored 37 goals.
Moses McNeil
Alongside William McBeath, Peter Campbell and his brother, Peter McNeil, Moses McNeil is one of the founding members of Rangers Football Club. In May 1872, Rangers played their first ever match against Callander F.C. at Glasgow Green's Flesher's Haugh, which resulted in a 0–0 draw.