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Ross McCrorie has become a key player for Bristol City as they push for promotion to the English Premier League and the former Light Blues star says he is grateful to the Rangers Academy coaches he worked with who shaped his professional career.
Billy Kirkwood and Ibrox icon Ian Durrant helped guide Ross during his formative years with the club and the lessons he learned from both men were invaluable.
The Scotland international made his Rangers debut against Partick Thistle in September 2017, when Pedro Caixinha was in the dugout, and he was a first-team regular for the remainder of the campaign.
It was a difficult period for the club but Ross thrived and his all-action style and will to win always endeared him to supporters.
McCrorie’s game was taken to a different level with the arrival of Steven Gerrard in 2018/19 and he was thrilled to work with one of football’s true legends.
A loan move to Portsmouth followed before Derek McInnes took him to Aberdeen where he flourished and Ross, who celebrates his 28th birthday today, is now a mainstay for Bristol City in the English Championship.
In a wide-ranging interview as he showed his support for The Rangers Youth Development Company – who have donated more than £12.5 million to the Academy so far – Ross reflects on his time in Glasgow and life after leaving the Light Blues.
He said: “My brother Robby was already at Rangers from the age of 8 and I used to travel up with him for Football in the Community training sessions on the pitches across from Ibrox.
“I did two or three sessions then Alan Boyd, who is still a coach at the club, asked me to play with his team when I was 9.
“I started training with them and I was on trial for about six to eight months then I got signed up and that was the start of the Rangers journey.
“To sign for your boyhood club is a proud moment and it was a dream come true for me and my family.
“I had a lot of great coaches on the way up and the big two were Billy Kirkwood and Ian Durrant.
“Kirky was great with me. He could be hard on players but he was preparing us for a life in professional footballer and we learned so much from him.
“I still keep in touch with him to this day. He was all about standards and good manners and to always be respectful. Small things like shaking hands and saying hello to people in the corridors.
“It was great to work with Kirky and then Durranty, who really pushed me on the next level.
“He gave me the captaincy when I was the youngest player in the team so he really pushed me on and took me under his wing.
“I learned a lot from him and he had an incredible Rangers career.
“I remember he phoned me when I got my first call-up to the Scotland squad and he was so happy for me.
“He’s a big, big character and he helped me so much. He used to take me aside and talk about my game. He gave me the belief and would always do the extras with me.
“I’m very grateful for all he has done for my career.
“Jim Sinclair was the Head of the Academy at that time, he was very old school and helped prepare me for the first-team, then Craig Mulholland came and helped my development too.
“At Rangers it was always about winning and that is instilled into you at an early age.
“Performances are important but you just need to win.
“I was lucky to learn from so many great coaches when I was at the Academy and I also had two loan moves that were great experiences.
“Durranty took me to Dumbarton when he was assistant to Stevie Aitken and Ian McCall had me at Ayr Utd.
“Sometimes when you get into academy football, you’re in a comfort zone so I felt I had to get out and try something new in another changing room.
“I remember Ian McCall told me I was a man not a boy anymore after a few training sessions and I loved my time under him at Ayr.
“I had a great grounding at the Rangers Academy and really kicked on with my loan moves.
“I still use the lessons I learned at Rangers today and I experienced so much – playing games, training with the best facilities and travelling to different countries for youth tournaments.
“It all helped my development and it was a dream to make my first-team debut against Partick Thistle when Pedro was the manager.
“It was special for me and my family even though it was a difficult time for the club.
“I started against Celtic a few weeks later then scored my first goal against Partick Thistle just after that so it was a bit of a whirlwind.
“There was a lot of ups and downs in that season but it was great to play and I was a part of the squad every week when I was fit.
“I was learning all the time, playing at tough places like Tynecastle and Pittodrie and I loved it to be honest.
“The team wasn’t doing so well but I loved the feeling of rolling the sleeves up and trying to get results.
“Rangers was my club growing up. It’s always been my club and I wanted to just do the best I could so I learned a lot during that debut season in the first-team.
“Stevie G came in the next year and that’s when we started to kick on.
“I loved it. The standard really went up and the whole team was a lot better.
“He’s one of the best managers I’ve ever had. He was a legend. The way he set the standards really opened my eyes to a new level of professionalism.
“His first pre-season is one of the hardest I’ve had to this day.
“I played a lot of games under him but it was a start every two or three games and I wanted to be the main man somewhere and experience something else.
“It was probably a gamble but I felt like I needed leave and go and be my own man.
“I then went to Portsmouth on loan and Derek McInnes took me to Aberdeen after that and I loved working with him.
“He really pushed me on to another level and I can’t speak highly enough of him or the staff there who looked after me from day one.
“I was a boy when I joined and left there as a man.
“Now I’m at Bristol City and I love it down here. It’s a great club and we have a really good group of players who are all the same age.
“I just love the level of the Championship. It’s a top league and has helped me get international recognition.
“I was part of the Scotland squad for the last Euros and I loved every minute of it. I didn’t play but it was a great experience.
“The target is the World Cup now. I’m really enjoying my football and I feel I should be in Scotland squads. That’s my mindset.
“I’m 28 now and approaching my peak.
“I’m pushing for promotion to the Premier League with Bristol City and I want to be in the Scotland squad this summer.
“It’s very positive for me just now and I feel as if I’m probably playing the best football of my career.
“I’m starting to add goals to my game as well so it’s all about kicking on and trying to achieve the best possible outcomes in my career.
“I still watch nearly every Rangers game and I’ll always be a massive Rangers fan.
“I grew up there and the club is always going to be in my heart. My family are all Rangers fans so it was a dream come true for me to play there.
“I have great memories and even though there were difficult moments, I wouldn’t have changed any of it.
“I loved every single minute of it. Just pulling on that top, there’s no feeling like it.
“I had great experiences at Rangers. Playing in European games and Old Firm games, which were electric, and I even played in goal and kept a clean sheet when Allan McGregor was sent off against Hibs.
“So, I have a lot of good memories.
“Rangers is my club. It was my team growing up and I’ll always be a fan.”
Ross’ career development was assisted by annual RYDC donations to the Rangers Academy and more than £12.5 million has already been provided.
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