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Rangers Academy forward Josh Gentles was thrilled to score the winner in last season’s Scottish Youth Cup Final triumph over Aberdeen and he is now determined to make his mark with the B Team this season.
His decisive late strike also earned him the man-of-the-match award as Steven Smith’s under 18 side won 2-1 at Hampden in May and it was a proud evening for the young Light Blues striker who was cheered on by family and friends at the National Stadium.
Josh, who signed his first professional contract with Rangers in February 2023, has progressed positively with the Academy in recent seasons and has amassed plenty of experience playing in competitions like the SPFL Trust Trophy, The Glasgow Cup and, of course, the Scottish Youth Cup.
The Welsh youth international has loved every minute of his Rangers adventure with the 18s and B Team so far but, like all young players, he dreams of making the grade at first-team level and he has already enjoyed a taste of training with the main squad.
That experience has given him a snapshot of what it takes to play at the highest level and he is eager for more.
In a wide-ranging interview as he showed his support for The Rangers Youth Development Company – who have provided more than £11.5 million to the Academy since 2002 – Josh recalled his time at the club so far.
He said: “I was playing at St Mirren when I was younger and I moved to Rangers when I was about 7.
“I was playing a year above my age group at St Mirren but coming to Rangers was still a big jump up in terms of standard and it’s about 10 years I’ve been at the club now.
“When I was younger I worked with top coaches like Drew Todd, Malky Thomson, Jim McNee and Greg Statt and the last few years I have been with Cameron Campbell and Stevie Smith.
“It has been great to learn from all of them.
“The training ground is a great place to develop and I love coming in every day to work hard. You can’t ask for any better than here.
“The facilities are amazing, the coaching staff are great and everything about this place makes you want to work as hard as you can every day.
“I am a good technical player, I am tidy on the ball and I can score goals and getting the winner in the Youth Cup Final last season against Aberdeen was a great experience.
“Hampden has a huge pitch and there were a lot of fans there so it was a great to be involved in such an important match.
“It was a proper game and I was proud to be part of it. It was end-to-end stuff and we did well to come back from a goal down to win.
“Mason Munn had a great game in goals and we had to dig deep to get the result but it was a fantastic feeling to lift the trophy after the match.
“I had a lot of family and friends there watching me and they were so proud.
“But that’s what this club is about. You have to win at Rangers, every game you need to win.
“I learned a lot with the 18s group and I will keep working as hard as I can in the B Team this season.
“I want to make myself a regular in the B Team and earn more chances to train with the first-team.
“I enjoyed working with Steven Smith and Jonatan Johansson at 18s level, these guys know what they are doing and know what it takes to play for Rangers.
“They gave me great advice and are good people who are easy to talk to.
“Stevie has been on the same Academy journey as me and I am here to try and make it to the first-team too.
“It’s great to play with the 18s and the B Team but we are all here to try and progress to the first-team.
“It is great to get experience at the Academy but nobody is here to just be an 18s player. We all want to develop and make it at the highest level we can.
“To achieve that, you have to do all you can every single day. There is no point just being in the middle, you have to get to the top and be ready for any chances that come your way.
“Everything is here for me to develop and the club looks after us so well. Coaching, Sports Science, Health & Wellbeing – everything is here for the young players to progress and I feel I am doing that.
“Scoring the winning goal in the Scottish Youth Cup last season and scoring in the final of the under-16s SFA CAS (Club Academy Scotland) Cup are two of my playing highlights with Rangers so far and I’ve also had the chance to train with the first-team.
“I’ve done it a few times now and you can feel the step up in terms of speed and quality right away.
“It was also great to have Brian Gilmour when I was round there, he was with the Academy before, of course, and he gives all the young players good advice and tells us what to expect.
“You have to be on it all the time and match the intensity of established players.
“I am on a journey and it will not come easily but one day I want to play for the first-team and do as well as I can here.
“We have seen players like Ross McCausland progress to the first-team recently and it shows there is a chance for Academy players. You just need to go and take it.
“Ross was given an opportunity when Zak Lovelace got injured against St Mirren last season but he had to be ready to take his chance and he was.
“I’ve had a great grounding so far with the Academy. I am working hard and training to a good standard every day and I will keep doing that and try to earn my chance with the first-team.
“I am still young but you have to be ambitious.”
Josh’s development is assisted by annual RYDC donations to the Rangers Academy and more than £11.5 million has already been provided.
Profit from RYDC’s 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 new museum.
Over 18s can sign up to Rangers Lotto and could win big weekly cash prizes.
CLICK HERE to play Rangers Lotto
CLICK HERE to play The Union Jackpot
CLICK HERE to buy Rangers Bricks
CLICK HERE to buy Rangers Scratchcards
CLICK HERE to play Museum Lotto
Over 18s only.
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