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Teenage forward Zak Lovelace has only been at Rangers for less than a year but he already feels right at home in Glasgow and is delighted with his progress at the club so far.
Recruited to the Academy last summer following a successful spell with Millwall in the English Championship, where he made his first-team debut aged just 15, the powerful front man was thrilled to make his competitive debut for the Light Blues earlier this season against Queen of the South in the League Cup at Ibrox.
And he has also impressed in his Lowland League, SPFL Trust Trophy and UEFA Youth League appearances for David McCallum and Brian Gilmour’s B Team this season – contributing goals and assists for grateful team-mates.
Zak bagged a double in a fine 3-2 victory over Napoli in Italy and was recently away with England’s Under-17 squad, where he made his debut against Denmark.
The 17-year-old has watched Academy graduates like Leon King and Adam Devine feature regularly in the first-team this season and hopes to follow in their footsteps.
Lovelace has already played competitive top-team games for Millwall and Rangers in his fledgling career and he is determined to take his game to an even higher level by continuing to work hard at the training ground.
Discussing his time in Scotland as he helped promote The Rangers Youth Development Company and their continued commitment to the Rangers Academy – RYDC have provided more than £10 million to date and donated another £400,000 in February – Lovelace said: “I really do enjoy it here.
“I came from Millwall and that was a high level as it was the English Championship but when you come up here to Glasgow it is a different challenge.
“Rangers is a big international club with great facilities and when I came up here for the first time I knew this was the club for me.
“I’m an Academy player right now but you look across the corridor at the first-team side and I’m aspiring to be there.
“I saw a couple of games before I joined the club and the players here are excellent.
“I need to become like them by working hard and taking my chance when it comes.
“It’s a fantastic set-up here and Ibrox is brilliant, the fans are absolutely wonderful and are really there for you in games.
“The stadium is incredible. It’s really historic, the Trophy Room, the Manager’s Room upstairs, it’s all just brilliant.
“I just felt this club was big as soon as I joined.
“I remember I was playing an early game in Northern Ireland and there were so many fans there to cheer us on. It was crazy but I really enjoyed the experience and this move is the next stage in my development.
“I got the chance to play for Millwall when I was only 15 but I had to stay grounded.
“My dad would help me train and my mum took me to the gym so I know what I have to do to progress in the game and that is to keep working hard.
“The training facilities here are also top class. The gym, the pitches…everything is great and everything I need to develop is here for me.
“I’m also really settled in Glasgow now. I have my own place with my dad and it feels like home.
“My dad has been there for me throughout my football journey and it’s nice he’s here with me now.
“Everyone at the club has helped me settle here. All the players and staff have looked after me and the people in Glasgow have been really good to me too.
“I’m enjoying it and it was great to make my first-team debut and play against Queen of the South at Ibrox last year. My family were buzzing for me.
“I was training with the first-team for the whole week then got a message to say I was in the matchday squad.
“When I came on late in the game the fans gave me a great reception and it gave me a lot of confidence. It was an amazing experience to make my debut at Ibrox.
“It was so good and is something I will never forget.
“I’ve been training with the first-team a few times and the players have more experience, they are trickier and you can see the level is much higher than Academy football.
“Whenever I go round I push myself as hard as I can and try to express myself because I want to get to their level.
“When any chances come I need to be ready for it.
“I’ve seen players like Leon King and Adam Devine play regularly in the first-team and that’s what I’m pushing for.
“I ask them about their experiences and they gave me good advice.
“Hopefully when I can show my full capabilities here I will get the call up too.
“I would call myself a forward, I can play as a striker or on the left. I’m fast, with good skills and I’m a good finisher. I like taking players on.
“I loved the UEFA Youth League games this season. We had Ajax, Napoli and Liverpool in the group and it was a great experience.
“I scored a couple of goals in a 3-2 win at Napoli and that was such a good day. I left my mark on Naples.
“Playing in the Lowland League is also a good experience. The league is full of players of different ages and experiences and I have enjoyed the challenge.
“I’ve really enjoyed my first season at Rangers so far and I’m looking to push on in the second year.
“Hopefully I can earn the chance to play more games and I really want to score my first goal for the first-team.
“I just have to keep working hard with the Academy every day and be ready to take any chances that come my way.”
Players like Leon King, Nathan Patterson, Alex Lowry, Adam Devine, Billy Gilmour and more recent graduates like young debutants Bailey Rice, Archie Stevens and Zak all develop thanks to RYDC support.
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