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Rangers Academy midfielder Aiden Crilly was thrilled to be part of two successful youth squad’s this season as the 17s and 19s both won their respective CAS Elite Leagues.
The 17-year-old has featured in both squads throughout the 2025/26 campaign and has regularly worn the captain’s armband.
He has been with the Light Blues since he was 7 and has loved every second of his youth journey.
Aiden has stepped up confidently to the 19s this term and he is now setting his sights on making it to the senior squad.
Fellow Academy players like Callum Adamson, Lewis Stewart and Alex Smith have enjoyed a taste of the first-team in 2026 – the talented trio have all been on the bench in European games – and Crilly has designs on following in their footsteps one day.
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 provided since 2002 – the young midfielder reflected on his time with the club so far.
He said: “I was bouncing between a couple of Boy’s Clubs when I was young, a scout spotted me when I was playing in a Sunday League game and it all kicked off from there.
“It was great to walk in here as a Rangers Academy player for the first time.
“I struggled at first with the change to an academy set-up but within a couple of weeks it was all good and I was ready to go. All the staff really helped me settle.
“I was just turning seven when I joined so I have been here for a while now and I’ve really enjoyed it.
“I’ve worked with a lot of good coaches here.
“When I first came in, Alan Boyd and John Lawson both made big impacts on my development.
“As I’ve moved up, I’ve worked under people like Greg Statt, Malky Thomson, Stevin Smith and Liam Lawson and it has been good to learn from them all.
“They all have different methods and I feel I’m developing well here.
“It’s a lot different when you move up to the 19s as they are setting you up for the next step which is the men’s game.
“You are playing against more experienced players and you work on different things in the gym.
“I feel like I’m on a good path and I want to try and push into the first-team. I will work as hard as I can and hopefully I can do that one day.
“I’ll keep doing what I’m doing, putting hard work in and doing a bit extra to try and get round to the first-team side.
“I learned a lot from Steven Smith, he has been great with me in the last year and a half.
“He’s a tough coach who knows what it takes to play for Rangers and that’s really benefitted me.
“Sometimes you need that, just a bit of honesty and to know what is expected of you.
“I enjoyed his way of doing things.
“I’ve trained with the first-team a few times and you are playing with better quality players.
“It takes a bit of getting used to as the tempo is so high and you can see that right away.
“For me it was just about building confidence and once you get the first pass in you go from there.
“I felt I had done well during the sessions and you want to try to be a standout player.
“It’s quite hard to do that but when I did get on the ball I thought I was good and having Steven Smith there was a big help.
“He’s a good link to the first-team as I worked with him for so long at the Academy.
“I learned so much by training with the first-team. You don’t get as much time on the ball so it helps improve your decision-making.
“You learn when to play one touch, two touch or take a couple more touches and when to slow the game down.
“I enjoyed the intensity of possession and it’s drilled into you a lot more.
“You want to impress the coaching staff when you return to the Academy for games and now I’ve had a taste of being with the main squad it gives you a bigger desire to do more with them.
“Getting round to the senior side is what it’s all about.
“I know what I’m good at and I will work hard in the gym and keep picking up technical info to help me improve.
“Academy players like Lewis Stewart, Callum Adamson and Alex Smith have been on the bench for big games and Findlay Curtis has done so well when he has played.
“I’ve trained with them and they’ve all got real quality. I want to emulate what they’ve done.
“Findlay has been a big help too. He was really good with me and the other Academy boys when we trained with the first-team before he went on loan to Kilmarnock.
“He would always encourage us during the sessions and that helps build your confidence.
“He’s been on the same journey here and now he’s played for Scotland so he has helped me a lot.
“Everything is here for Academy players to progress and the coaches and facilities are excellent. We’ve got some of the best youth facilities in the country so coming in here to train, play and work is really enjoyable.
“I enjoyed playing for the 17s and 19s this year but I’m already looking forward to pushing on next season.
“It might be a loan move for me as the next step – a lot of boys have done well on loan recently – so we will see what happens in pre-season.”
Aiden’s career development is assisted by annual RYDC donations to the Rangers Academy and more than £12.5 million has already been provided.
Profit from our online store and products like Rangers Lotto, Stadium Bricks and The Union Jackpot draw all go to the Academy, while profit from Museum Lotto is donated to the club for the upkeep and maintenance of the Rangers Museum.
CLICK HERE to play Rangers Lotto (Over 18s only)
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