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Academy graduate Kal Naismith was one of a crop of promising players to feature for Rangers during the journey back to Scotland’s top-flight after Administration in 2012.
Kal, who is 34 today, is incredibly proud to have lived the dream and play for his boyhood heroes but he admits to some regrets about his time at the club as he should have been more disciplined.
It was a surreal time for the Light Blues, who were rebuilding in the lower leagues under Ally McCoist, as 50,000 loyal fans were still filling Ibrox and selling out away games at places like Annan, Brechin Montrose and Peterhead.
A host of young players were given debuts in 2012/13 and it was sink or swim as the expectation was simple – win every game in style.
Kal went on to make 21 appearances for Rangers and score twice that season and he knows he was privileged to wear the jersey.
He had progressed through the Academy and learned from a number of top coaches, including the late Ally Dawson, and legendary midfielder Ian Durrant used to drive him to training.
Naismith says he should have made more of his time at Rangers but he still went on to enjoy a terrific career after dropping down to English League Two side Accrington in 2013.
He worked tirelessly on his game and progressed to Portsmouth, Wigan, Bristol City and Luton Town – where he is current club captain.
Kal can be proud of his football journey and in a wide-ranging interview as he showed his support for The Rangers Youth Development Company – who have donated more than £12 million to the Academy so far – he reflects on his time in Glasgow and career after leaving the Light Blues.
He said: “I loved my time at Rangers and met some great people.
“Ally Dawson was one of my coaches in the younger age groups and he was great with me. There were so many good people at the club to learn from and they all helped me develop.
“Durranty and Bomber were there when I was younger – they were with the reserves – and Durranty was amazing for me.
“I lived five minutes from the training ground but I always struggled to get in. It was just me and my mum and she was always busy working so different people would take turns to pick me up in the morning.
“Durranty picked me up many times to make sure I got into training on time.
“He was a massive help to me when I was 17/18 before I eventually got to the reserves and then the first-team.
“It was a difficult time for Rangers after Administration but it really helped open the door and the pathway for a lot of young boys.
“When I look at my career now as I’m older, I would say I’ve grown up a lot.
“When I was a young boy coming through, I needed a little bit of discipline and structure in my life. Someone to keep me right in life.
“As a young kid, I believed I had the ability and I was good enough to play for Rangers but I needed a little bit of discipline and structure in my life.
“I was young, it was just me and my mum growing up. I just never had that and nobody disciplined me.
“I believe if I got into a Rangers changing room when it was really strong it would have been better for me.
“Being in the Third Division and having 15 young lads coming into the first-team must have been difficult to manage.
“It’s absolutely no blame on the coaches at the time, I just believe I could have learned so much about how people behaved in a first-team in normal circumstances before Administration.
“Whether I was good enough to break in or not is a different story.
“It was mental looking back.
“We still had 50,000 fans for games at Ibrox and we’re going to Annan and Peterhead and fans are packing stadiums at all these places.
“It was surreal wasn’t it?
“It was a mad experience and one I probably wasn’t ready for but nonetheless, I still got to live out my dream and play for the club I supported as a kid.
“I was a massive Rangers fan growing up. All I wanted to do was play for the club and I’ve done it. I’ve played for Rangers in front of 50,000 fans at Ibrox.
“I’ve played there and scored there and you can only deal with what’s in front of you. That was the situation the club was in at the time and we won the league that year obviously.
“I got to celebrate with my team-mates, staff and fans at Ibrox and I dreamed of all that as a little boy. I got to do it and even though it was a lower league title, it was still special.
“Incredible memories but honestly, I have so many regrets as well. I’m not big on regrets, but when I was at Rangers I was doing well with all the age groups.
“There was always a lot of promise there and I know I had a lot of ability.
“I just struggled with discipline – not discipline as in being a bad person.
“I was always polite and respectful with my coaches, but I was just a young kid going through a lot and I didn’t really understand fully what it took to be a professional footballer.
“Everybody used to speak to me. I remember having chats with Academy coaches Jim Sinclair and Craig Mulholland and they’re saying the same thing.
“I’ve got all the ability and the world, but the penny needs to drop, you need to turn up on time, you need to give your all every day.
“Honestly, I used to think I knew better. I used to think, what do you mean? I’m one of the best players here.
“The penny never dropped for me really until I was 22 or 23 and it was too late for me at Rangers as I had left by then.
“I learned to grow up and went on to have a good career and be a better human being. But in terms of my actual Rangers career, I look at it with a little bit of regret.
“I just wish I grew up a little bit faster because I believe I could have had a much better chance there.
“I’m not going to blame anyone else. I have to take full responsibility.
“I still played for the club I love so I’ve got to be happy with that.
“I’ve got great memories with some of my best mates that I grew up with. We came through together, players like Kane Hemmings, Kyle Hutton and Darren Cole.
“When my career is over. I’ll probably look back at it all with even fonder memories.
“When I see younger players going through little moments nowadays, I’m always the first one to pull them aside and remind them what they have as careers go really quickly.
“You need to be on it every single day. So yes, I have a little bit of regret about how I was as a younger player but I still went on to have a good career in England.
“I moved to Accrington in 2013 and I was leaving a club where everything is on a plate for you.
“You have the best coaches, the best sports science, all the gym equipment and it’s all there for you at Rangers.
“At Accrington you needed to find a place to train and there is no gym equipment to use after sessions.
“I grew up there as I was living away from home and I had to stand on my own two feet.
“I then moved to Portsmouth and I knew I wouldn’t be able to see my mum and little brother as much so I knew I had to really make something of my career down here.
“I didn’t want to waste a day. My attitude started to pick up, I started reading a lot and looking into how other people who have been successful live their lives.
“I managed to turn things around from there but I was probably 23 by then.
“I had three seasons at Portsmouth then went to Wigan and that was brilliant.
“I started at a huge club Rangers, dropped all the way down the leagues in England then worked my way back up.
“I always set myself targets and I never ever lost belief as I knew I was a good player. I knew I was always going to make it and I’m just proud of how I built myself back up.
“I played in League Two, League One and then eventually got into the English Championship. That did feel like a big achievement at the time.
“The penny had dropped and I was on a good path and went on to play for Bristol City and Luton.
“I remember my first game in the Championship was against Marco Bielsa’s Leeds and it was another big reality check.
“I needed to be fitter, stronger, run more and recover better and that was another big lesson for me. After two or three years in the Championship, I felt I belonged there and it was my level.
“I was then trying to push to get to the Premier League.
“I went to Luton and played in a few different positions without nailing one down and when Nathan Jones was appointed manager, he pulled me into the office straight away and told me to focus on playing left centre back.
“I’d just been crying out for someone to take control of the situation and tell me where they wanted me to play.
“I loved it at Luton in my first spell, it’s a great club then I had the chance to go to Bristol City – which is also an amazing club.
“Unfortunately, I had a lot of injuries and it just never really got started for me there.
“I signed and wanted to have my best years there and really push for the Premier League but we just never really had any success.
“They definitely never got the best of me and that hurts. I did everything I could but it was just unfortunate with injuries.
“I met some incredible people though and Bristol is an amazing place to live. That’s where I’m based now, that’s my home.
“I’ve got three kids now but my two boys were brought up there so I have no regrets in that sense.
“I’m back at Luton now and working with Jack Wilshire and I’m captain.
“Getting the armband was a proud moment for me.
“I’ve been trusted with an honour like that and it shows how far I’ve come as a player, who started out with no real discipline.
“I’m absolutely loving being back at the club now.
“I’ve had a good career so far and I’ve lived my dream to play for Rangers.
“It’s a huge club and I’ll always look out for their results.”
Kal’s career development was assisted by annual RYDC donations to the Rangers Academy and more than £12 million has already been provided.
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