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Rangers Academy defender Arran Kerr enjoyed working with former Light Blues left-back Steven Smith when he was coaching at youth level and he dreams of emulating his journey to the first-team.
The 18-year-old left-back, who is enjoying a loan spell with Stirling Albion this season, has benefitted from Smith’s years of experience with the club and he hopes to follow in his footsteps and progress to the senior squad permanently one day.
Arran is one of a number of talented youth players currently out on loan and he was thrilled to be on the bench for January’s Europa League tie with Porto.
He has played 19 games for The Binos to date, fellow Academy defender Connor Campbell is also on loan with the League Two side, and both are enjoying the challenge of competitive men’s football.
Speaking as he showed his support for The Rangers Youth Development Company – who donated another £300,000 to the Academy in February, making it more than £12.5 million since 2002 – Arran said: “The loan move to Stirling Albion has been really good for me.
“It was difficult to start with but I had to show I was ready to play. I had to earn a spot in the team and earn the manager’s trust.
“Once I got in, it was about staying there and fighting off the competition for the position.
“Every game means something and you have to fight for the 3 points every week.
“I’m learning so much as it’s different from Academy football and I’ve enjoyed it so far.
“There are a lot of physical battles and if you make mistakes you have to bounce back quickly.
“I wasn’t in a team at the start so I had to train well and show a bit of mental strength too and it has been good experience for me.
“There are a lot of new challenges when you go on loan but I feel like I’m handling them pretty well.
“It’s a co-operation loan so I can train and do a lot of gym work at Rangers and train and play with Stirling Albion.
“I train there on Tuesday and Thursday nights then have the games on a Saturday and that’s a pretty good way to learn. I get the best of both worlds.
“I’ve been with Rangers since I was about 8 and I’ve worked with a lot of experienced coaches like Steven Smith and Malky Thomson.
“Steven has played in the Rangers first-team and he has helped me a lot.
“He has experienced what it’s like to play here and I want to do that one day too.
“He played in the same position and he’s made the same journey I have so I can use that experience to help me. He always gives good advice and it’s great to see him coaching with the first-team now.
“I can play at left-back or centre back and I like to get forward. I don’t mind the physical battles but I also think I’ve got a bit of quality going forward.
“I’m learning all the time and I’ve trained with the first-team and was on the bench for the Europa League game against Porto in January.
“The atmosphere was brilliant and it gave me a good insight on how good you need to be to get to that level. That just made me want to get there even more.
“Experiences like that really help me and I’m learning all the time.
“You need to express yourself as a young player and you’ve got to be selfish. You need to be different and not play it safe.
“You can see the standards and quality is higher as soon as you start training with the first-team.
“There is a difference in energy and the pace they play at. These guys are top pros and I felt comfortable there.
“You have to feel like you belong there because if you don’t then you’ve got no chance. You need to show what you can do and hold your own.
“Players like Findlay Curtis have progressed from the Academy to the first-team and if you’re good enough and you’re willing to do the work then you can get there.
“It gives us a pathway and a clear goal that you can make it.”
Arran’s career development is assisted by annual RYDC donations to the Rangers Academy and more than £12.5 million has already been provided.
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