Rangers F.C. Under-20s and Academy

The Rangers Academy
Full name Rangers Football Club Academy
Nickname(s) Rangers Swifts
Ground Murray Park
Ground Capacity Unofficial (All-standing)
Website Club home page

In addition to the first-team, Rangers Football Club also operate a football Academy which contains a number of football teams culminating in an under-20 side, which plays in the SPFL Development League and the Scottish Challenge Cup.

Historically, the club's second side was known as the Rangers Swifts. In the 2006–07 season the under-20s won their league and the Scottish Youth Cup, ending rivals Celtic's run of six consecutive league titles and defeating them 5–0 in the final of the Youth Cup at Hampden Park.

History

Inter war years

Upon the outbreak of the Second World War, all competitive football in Scotland was suspended. During this time there was special wartime football in the form of regional league competitions with Rangers playing in the Southern League. The regionalisation also saw Scottish reserve football postponed as the war effort but a major strain on the resources and playing staff of clubs with many of them serving in the Armed forces and some seeing active service abroad. The reserve side were crowned champions of their league in 1939 before seeing the 1939-40 season abandoned.

1975 league reconstruction

With the end of hostilities in 1946, Rangers returned to play competitive football again with the reserve side featuring in the Scottish Reserve League. This was to continue unchanged for almost three decades until the first of many reconstructions were made to football in Scotland.

SPL breakaway

The formation of the Scottish Premier League in 1998, resulted in a significant change in youth team football in Scotland. The SPL began a league for members clubs youth players aged under-18. This was alongside the Reserve league, which had been revamped into a league primarily for under-21 players. Rangers would go on to win the under-18 league three times, first in 2001–02 then in 2006–07 and most recently in 2007–08.

Reconstructing the youth department

The opening of Murray Park in 2001 was the one of the first stages in the clubs move to develop a football academy. Although the nomenclature was not present at that time, Rangers did begin to focus upon youth development and under the then first-team manager Dick Advocaat the club appointed its first Head of Youth Development, Jan Derks, in March 2000. Derks new role was strategic and operational and saw him lay the foundations for the clubs academy as well as helping the transition of the youth set-up to Murray Park. Prior to this, the club had employed a youth development officer, with their focus being solely scouting and coaching.[1] Derks remained in position for three years despite former player Tommy McLean being recruited as his presumptive successor in May 2001[2] and Rangers eventually appointed former Aberdeen scout George Adams to succeed Derks in February 2003.[3]

As the scope of the youth department grew, so did its costs, so on 20 April 2004, Rangers announced the creation of a new company which would oversee the development of the club's youth players.[4] The company, named Rangers Youth Development Limited, was entirely self-funding but completely owned by the club. It attracted four investors from outside Rangers who have invested £1 million, with the club also putting up an initial £2.5 million.[4] It led to Rangers F.C. being in the unfamiliar position of buying its own youth players from Rangers Youth Development Ltd.[4] The company will own the young players and the club will need to bid for them although it will have first option on all the players. If both sides cannot reach an agreement on a transfer fee then a FIFA transfer model will be used.[4] Any profit made by the company will be divided between investors with the majority being invested to fund more youth players.[5] The main reason for the formation of the company was to offset the running costs of Murray Park.[4] However, many of the Rangers fans were opposed to the formation of the new company.[6] The activities of Rangers Youth Development Ltd were largely unnoticed and the company was dissolved after submitting its final set of accounts in June 2010.

The elite development era

In September 2005, as part of a restructuring of the club management, Adams left his role as director of youth football.[7] The moves also saw future Academy heads take over responsibility for youth administration.[7]

Academy structure

Section Age range Head of section
Children's[8] 8 – 12 years Jim McNee
Intermediate[8] 13 – 15 years Alan Boyd
Senior[8] 16 – 17 years Davie Kirkwood
Development[8] 18 years plus Graeme Murty

The Academy is responsible for providing players for the Rangers first-team and is divided into four areas. The Children's section operates training groups only but from intermediate level there are age-grouped teams.[9] Between under-11 and under-12 level, the teams play in a seven-a-side football competition, although the latter side transitions to 11-a-side after Christmas.[9] Thereafter, the under-12s and under-13s play on a modified pitch which is slightly smaller with reduced sized goals than regulation play[9] but from under-14 level onward all Academy teams play on normal pitches. All players from under-8 to under-15 are schoolboys, however, from Senior level many sign contracts to become professional youth players.[9] The U11 to U17 age groups play in the SFA Club Academy Scotland programme at ‘Elite’ level.

Academy partnerships

Rangers operate a North American Academy, which began in 2014,[10] and as of May 2015 included thirteen partner clubs across the United States and Canada.[11]

The academy has a partnership with Coerver Coaching who deliver Coerver method skills coaching to the Children's section on a weekly basis.[12] On 18 December 2015, Rangers announced a coaching and development partnership with Scottish Lowland League club Gala Fairydean Rovers which effectivelty saw the Galashiels side act as a feeder to Rangers.[13] In June 2016, Rangers announced a partnership with East Dunbartonshire council which saw 24 of the clubs youth players aged 11 to 15 attend Boclair Academy which allowed them to combine their academic and football studies.[14]

Competition record

Rangers were members of the Scottish Premier Reserve League from its foundation in the 1998–99 season until 2012. As the Scottish Premier League was considering disbanding its Scottish Premier Reserve League for the 2009–10 season,[15] Rangers announced it was withdrawing its reserve team in order to play friendly games instead.[16] After Rangers demotion to the Scottish Third Division in 2012,[17] the club entered a reserve team into the Scottish Football League Reserve League[18] and the side went on to win the competition.[19] The league ended after the formation of the SPFL, with a development league for under-20's teams taking its place and the clubs reserve side was disbanded.

A youth league was founded for under-18s in 1998 as an alternative to the Scottish Premier Reserve League which originally was for under-21s. The former competition was widened to include under-19s in 2003. Rangers were removed from the under-19 league after the clubs demotion to the Scottish Third Division[17] in 2012, with youth players featuring in the 2012-13 SFL Reserve league instead. The formation of the Scottish Professional Football League in the 2013–14 season, saw the formation of an under-20s league with the number of teams increased to 16[20] and teams were allowed to field two over-age outfield players and an overage goalkeeper.[21] The league was renamed the SPFL Development League in 2014, with the number of teams increased to 17.[22]

Rangers youth sides play in a number of cup competitions including the Glasgow Cup and Scottish Youth Cup. In June 2016, it was announced by the SPFL that the Challenge Cup would be expanded to include teams from the Welsh Premier League, Northern Irish Premiership and an under-20s side from each Scottish Premiership club.[23]

Rangers F.C. Reserve team
Seasons Division
1890 – 1975 Scottish Reserve League
1975 – 1998 Premier Reserve League
1998 – 2009 Scottish Premier Reserve League
2009 – 2012 None
2012 – 2013 SFL Reserve League
Rangers F.C. professional youth team
Seasons Division
1998 – 2003 Scottish Premier under-18 League
2003 – 2012 Scottish Premier under-19 League
2012 – 2013 None
2013 – 2014 SPFL under-20 League
2014 – SPFL Development League
Cup competitions
Team Competition
Under–20s Scottish Challenge Cup
Under–20s Scottish Youth Cup
Under-17s Glasgow Cup

Players

Under-20s squad

As of 1 October 2016[24]

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Position Player
27 Scotland DF David Bates (on loan from Raith Rovers)
36 Scotland FW Josh Jeffries
37 Scotland DF Lewis White
38 England FW Jordan Gibson
39 Scotland DF Ross Lyon
40 Scotland DF Ross McCrorie
41 Scotland GK Robby McCrorie
42 Scotland MF Max Ashmore
43 Scotland DF Jack Adamson
44 Scotland FW Andy Dallas
50 Scotland FW Grant Nelson
No. Position Player
51 Scotland DF Jason Krones
52 Scotland MF Liam Burt
53 Scotland DF Kyle Bradley
54 Scotland DF Aidan Wilson
55 Scotland MF Jamie Barjonas
56 Scotland FW Sam Jamieson
58 Scotland DF Jack Thomson
— Malta DF Myles Beerman
— England MF Ursene Mouanda
— Finland FW Serge Atakayi
— Spain FW Amin Bouzaig

Out on loan

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Position Player
34 Scotland DF Ryan Sinnamon (on loan at Annan Athletic)
35 Scotland MF Scott Roberts (on loan at Raith Rovers)
No. Position Player
57 Scotland GK Kieran Wright (on loan at Gala Fairydean Rovers)

Under-17s squad

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Position Player
59 Scotland FW Zak Rudden
62 Scotland DF Rhys Breen
63 Scotland DF Scott Gray
64 Scotland DF Jordan Houston
65 Scotland MF Carlo Pignatiello
66 Scotland DF Lewis Mayo
67 Scotland MF Stephen Kelly
68 Scotland MF Cameron Palmer
69 Scotland MF Matifadza Zata
70 Scotland FW Matthew Shiels
71 Scotland GK Lewis Muir
72 Scotland GK Brian Kinnear
73 Scotland DF Daniel Finlayson
Scotland DF Michael Hewitt
Scotland MF Kieran Balfour
Scotland Owen McGinty
No. Position Player
Scotland Niyah Joseph
Scotland FW Adedapo Awokoya-Mebude
Scotland Ross Young
Scotland Ben Williamson
Scotland Jack Thomson
Scotland Kieran McKechnie
Scotland Lewis McGrattan
Scotland Billy Gilmour
Scotland Zac Butterworth
Scotland Jamie Walker
Scotland Nathan Patterson
Scotland Joshua McPake
Scotland Jack May
Scotland Aiden Gibb
Scotland GK Nicky Hogarth

Manager history

This list is incomplete; you can help by expanding it.
Name From To Tenure Notes
Scotland John Hagart November 1983 7 April 1986 2 years, 5 months As reserve coach
Scotland Don Mackay 16 April 1986 3 February 1987[25] 293 days As reserve coach
Scotland Peter McCloy 3 February 1987 1 March 1987 26 days As reserve coach
Northern Ireland Jimmy Nichol 1 March 1987 30 June 1989 2 years, 121 days As reserve coach
Scotland Davie Dodds and Scotland John McGregor June 1989 October 1991 2 years, 4 months As joint reserve coaches
Scotland John McGregor October 1991 1 March 2003[26] 12 years As reserve coach
Scotland John Brown 1 March 2003[26] 27 June 2006[27] 3 years, 118 days As reserve coach
Scotland Ian Durrant 27 June 2006[27] 30 June 2008 2 years, 3 days As reserve coach
Scotland Tommy Wilson 30 June 2008 14 March 2013[28] 4 years, 257 days As reserve coach
Scotland Billy Kirkwood 14 March 2013 2 July 2013 110 days Interim, senior Academy manager
Scotland Gordon Durie 2 July 2013[29] 23 December 2014[30] 1 year, 174 days As under-20s coach
Scotland Ian Durrant 23 December 2014[30] 9 June 2016[31] 1 year, 169 days As under-20s coach
Scotland Graeme Murty 22 August 2016[32] 107 days As under-20s coach

Staff

As of 12 November 2016[33]

Honours

League

Cup

Academy legacy

Financial return

With the opening of Murray Park, Rangers training facility for its youth and first teams, it was hoped that this would spell a new chapter in player development for the club.[36] However, expectations of an instant success were not accurate and with reported running costs of the facility equalling £1.5m,[36] many commentators asked if the investment in the training ground and youth department was worthwhile.[37]

The combined transfer fees for all Academy graduates is, to date, approximately £17.1m. This includes fees from Alan Hutton, which the single largest fee received in the clubs history for any player.[38] Some of the other transfers that have commanded fees were in the form of compensation. The list below includes players who have been schooled at the clubs Academy and have commanded a transfer upon there departure.

First-team graduates transfer fees received
# Name and nationality Date of transfer New club Initial fee Add ons Total fee
1 Scotland Steven MacLean July 7, 2004 Sheffield Wednesday England £0.125m[39]Red X £0.125m
2 Tunisia Hamed Namouchi August 31, 2006 FC Lorient France £0.5m[40] Red X £0.5m
3 Scotland Alan Hutton January 30, 2008 Tottenham Hotspur England £9m[38] Red X £9m
4 South Africa Dean Furman June 1, 2009 Oldham Athletic England £0.05m[41] Red X £0.05m
5 Scotland Charlie Adam August 4, 2009 Blackpool England £0.5m[42] Green tick[43] £1.35m
6 Scotland Danny Wilson July 21, 2010 Liverpool England £2m[44] Green tick[45] £4.7m
7 Scotland Dylan McGeouch May 15, 2011 Celtic Scotland £0.1m[46] Red X £0.1m
8 Norway Thomas Kind Bendiksen January 1, 2012 Tromsø IL Norway £0.25m[47] Red X £0.25m
9 Scotland Charlie Telfer May 31, 2014 Dundee United Scotland £0.204m[48] Red X £0.204m
10 Scotland Lewis Macleod January 1, 2015 Brentford England £0.85m[49] Red X £0.85m

List of Academy graduates

Below is a list of players who made a first-team appearance for Rangers, whilst a youth team player at the club. This includes both players that have come through the clubs Academy set-up and also young professional players signed for the Academy who then go on to play in the first-team. The list includes all youth team graduates from the opening of Murray Park to the present day.

References

  1. ↑ John also did a spell as a youth development officer at Ibrox
  2. ↑ "McLean makes Rangers return". BBC Sport website. 11 May 2001.
  3. ↑ "Rangers recruit Fergie scout". BBC. BBC Sport. 14 February 2003. Retrieved 11 December 2010.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 "Drive for youth". Ewing Grahame. The Daily Telegraph (London). 21 April 2004.
  5. ↑ "Gers launch youth scheme". BBC. BBC Sport. 20 April 2004.
  6. ↑ "Supporters 'mystified' by Rangers youth plan". Ewing Grahame. The Daily Telegraph (London). 26 April 2004.
  7. 1 2 "Rangers reshuffle top executives". BBC. BBC Sport. 19 September 2005.
  8. 1 2 3 4 King, Dave (28 June 2016). "CHANGES TO FOOTBALL STRUCTURES". Rangers.co.uk. Rangers Football Club.
  9. 1 2 3 4 "ACADEMY STRUCTURE". Rangers.co.uk. Rangers Football Club. Retrieved 5 July 2016.
  10. ↑ "North American Academy Update". Rangers Football Club. Rangers.co.uk. 12 August 2014.
  11. ↑ "Americas Futbol Club". Rangers Football Club. Rangers.co.uk. 26 May 2015.
  12. ↑ "Gers Link With Coerver". Nick Thomson. Rangers.co.uk. 15 September 2015.
  13. ↑ "Gers Forge Gala Partnership". Nick Thomson. Rangers.co.uk. 18 December 2015.
  14. ↑ "Gers Begin School Initiative". Rangers Football Club. Rangers.co.uk. 22 June 2016.
  15. ↑ "SPL to reconsider reserve league". BBC. BBC Sport. 6 January 2009.
  16. ↑ "Gers withdraw reserves"
  17. 1 2 "Charles Green accepts Division Three vote". BBC. BBC Sport. 13 July 2012.
  18. ↑ "Reserve Fixtures Released". David Melvin. Rangers.co.uk. 30 August 2012.
  19. 1 2 "Rangers win SFL Reserve League Championship". SFL. spfl.co.uk/. 20 February 2013.
  20. ↑ "U20 League fixtures". www.spfl.co.uk. SPFL. 6 August 2013. Retrieved 6 August 2013.
  21. ↑ "Reserve league football could return as part of SFA plan to revamp Scottish game". Gordon Waddell. Daily Record (Glasgow). 9 October 2011. Retrieved 5 August 2014.
  22. ↑ "Development League fixture list". www.spfl.co.uk. SPFL. 7 July 2014. Retrieved 7 July 2014.
  23. ↑ "Scottish Challenge Cup expanded to include teams from Wales & NI". BBC. BBC Sport. 8 June 2016.
  24. ↑ "Academy Under 20's". rangers.co.uk. 5 June 2015. Archived from the original on 5 June 2015. Retrieved 5 June 2015.
  25. ↑ Don Mackay LMA
  26. 1 2 Wright, Angus (1 March 2003). "Reshuffle sees Rangers reserve coach sacked". The Scotsman. Edinburgh: Johnston Press. Retrieved 9 June 2016.
  27. 1 2 "Coach Brown calls time on Rangers". BBC Sport. BBC. 27 June 2006.
  28. ↑ Melvin, David (14 March 2013). "Wilson Departs For USA". Rangers.co.uk. Rangers Football Club.
  29. ↑ "Gordon Durie joins Ibrox coaching staff". The Herald. Glasgow: Herald & Times Group. 2 July 2013. Retrieved 4 July 2015.
  30. 1 2 McLaughlin, Chris (23 December 2014). "Gordon Durie to replace Ian Durrant in backroom team". BBC Sport. BBC. Retrieved 23 December 2014.
  31. ↑ Wilson, Richard (9 June 2016). "Rangers: Ian Durrant to leave Ibrox in shake-up of coaching staff". BBC Sport. BBC. Retrieved 9 June 2016.
  32. ↑ "Gers Academy Appoint Murty". Rangers.co.uk. Rangers Football Club. 17 August 2016. Retrieved 17 August 2016.
  33. ↑ "Other Academy Staff". Rangers Football Club. Rangers.co.uk. Retrieved 9 June 2016.
  34. ↑ "McCallum Joins Academy Staff". Rangers Football Club. Rangers.co.uk. 21 August 2015.
  35. ↑ "Rangers hire three new coaches in academy shake-up". Andrew Dickson. The Scotsman. 19 March 2015.
  36. 1 2 "You get more down the Barrowfield than Murray Park". The Scotsman. The Scotsman. 11 January 2004.
  37. ↑ "Murray Park: a school that struggles for a good report card from the inspectors". Michael Grant. The Herald. 10 July 2014.
  38. 1 2 "Spurs complete signing of Hutton". BBC Sport. 30 January 2008. Retrieved 26 September 2009.
  39. ↑ "Owls complete MacLean deal". BBC Sport. 7 July 2004.
  40. ↑ "Lorient pay £500,000 for Namouchi". BBC Sport. 31 August 2006. Retrieved 30 September 2012.
  41. ↑ "Latics pay up for Furman". Tony Bugby. Oldham Chronicle. 30 June 2009. Retrieved 1 May 2010.
  42. ↑ "Adam completes move to Blackpool". BBC Sport. 4 August 2009. Retrieved 1 May 2010.
  43. ↑ "Ian Durrant: Rangers can use Charlie Adam windfall to help boost summer buying power". Daily Record. 8 July 2011. Retrieved 31 August 2011.
  44. ↑ "Danny Wilson completes moves to Liverpool from Rangers". BBC Sport. 21 July 2010.
  45. ↑ "Wilson's jackpot for Gers". The Scottish Sun. 22 September 2010. Retrieved 5 June 2013.
  46. ↑ "Rangers to fend off Celtic swoop for youngster Liam Burt". Scottish Sun. Scottish Sun. 30 December 2015.
  47. ↑ "Rangers set to pocket £250k from Thomas Kind Bendiksen's switch to Tromso". Daily Record. 29 March 2012.
  48. ↑ "Dundee United chairman angered by £204,000 Charlie Telfer fee". BBC. BBC Sport. 9 December 2014.
  49. ↑ "Brentford sign Rangers midfielder". BBC. BBC Sport. 31 December 2014.
  50. ↑ "Rangers floor Forfar". BBC Sport. BBC. 24 February 2002.
  51. ↑ "Rangers trounce Kilmarnock". BBC Sport. BBC. 20 March 2002. Retrieved 21 November 2012.
  52. ↑ "Rough justice as Gers beat Thistle". BBC Sport. BBC. 22 December 2002.
  53. ↑ "Rangers 5-2 Clyde (aet)". BBC Sport. BBC. 20 September 2005.
  54. ↑ "Celtic 0-0 Rangers". BBC Sport. BBC. 23 April 2006.
  55. ↑ "Rangers 2-0 Hearts". BBC Sport. BBC. 7 May 2006.
  56. ↑ Taylor, Julian (14 December 2006). "Rangers 1-0 Partizan Belgrade". BBC Sport. BBC.
  57. ↑ Moffat, Colin (27 December 2006). "Inverness CT 2-1 Rangers". BBC Sport. BBC.
  58. ↑ "Rangers 3-0 Aberdeen". BBC Sport. BBC. 17 March 2007.
  59. ↑ "East Fife 0–4 Rangers". BBC Sport. BBC. 26 September 2007.
  60. ↑ "Rangers 6–0 East Stirlingshire". BBC Sport. BBC. 23 January 2008.
  61. ↑ "Rangers 3–1 Dundee Utd". BBC Sport. BBC. 10 May 2008.
  62. ↑ "Rangers 5–0 Inverness CT". BBC Sport. BBC. 1 November 2008.
  63. ↑ "Rangers 3–0 St Mirren". BBC Sport. BBC. 25 April 2009.
  64. ↑ Campbell, Andy (29 August 2009). "Rangers 4–1 Hamilton Accies". BBC Sport. BBC. Retrieved 22 January 2012.
  65. 1 2 "Dundee 1–3 Rangers". BBC Sport. BBC. 27 October 2009.
  66. ↑ Campbell, Andy (14 August 2010). "Rangers 2–1 Kilmarnock". BBC Sport. BBC.
  67. ↑ "Bursaspor 1-1 Rangers". BBC Sport. BBC. 7 December 2010.
  68. ↑ Campbell, Andy (26 December 2010). "Motherwell 1–4 Rangers". BBC Sport. BBC.
  69. ↑ "Malmo 1–1 Rangers (agg 2–1)". BBC Sport. BBC. 3 August 2011.
  70. ↑ "Inverness CT 0-2 Rangers". BBC Sport. BBC. 13 August 2011.
  71. ↑ "Rangers 2-1 Dunfermline". BBC Sport. BBC. 3 December 2011. Retrieved 4 March 2012.
  72. ↑ "Rangers 1–2 Hearts". BBC Sport. BBC. 3 March 2012.
  73. ↑ "Dundee United 2–1 Rangers". BBC Sport. BBC. 17 March 2012.
  74. ↑ Campbell, Andy (13 May 2012). "St Johnstone 0–4 Rangers". BBC Sport. BBC.
  75. 1 2 3 Lindsay, Clive (29 July 2012). "Brechin City 1–2 Rangers". BBC Sport. BBC. Retrieved 22 July 2014.
  76. ↑ "Falkirk 0-1 Rangers". BBC Sport. BBC. 21 August 2012.
  77. ↑ Macdonald, Calum (23 September 2012). "Rangers 4-1 Montrose". BBC Sport. BBC.
  78. ↑ Smith, Neil (8 December 2012). "Rangers 2–0 Stirling Albion". Rangers.co.uk. Rangers Football Club.
  79. ↑ Melvin, David (13 April 2013). "Rangers 2–0 Clyde". Rangers.co.uk. Rangers Football Club.
  80. ↑ Lamont, Alasdair (27 April 2013). "East Stirlingshire 2-4 Rangers". BBC Sport. BBC. Retrieved 9 March 2015.
  81. ↑ Smith, Neil (27 April 2013). "East Stirlingshire 2-4 Rangers". Rangers.co.uk. Rangers Football Club. Retrieved 11 February 2015.
  82. ↑ Dickson, Andrew (28 July 2013). "Three Make Gers Debuts". Rangers.co.uk. Rangers Football Club. Retrieved 12 June 2014.
  83. ↑ Bathgate, Stuart (28 July 2013). "Albion Rovers 0-4 Rangers: Nicky Law nets a double". The Scotsman (Edinburgh). Johnston Press.
  84. ↑ "Rangers 2–0 Dunfermline Athletic". BBC Sport. BBC. 15 March 2014.
  85. ↑ "Stenhousemuir 0-4 Rangers". BBC Sport. BBC. 19 April 2014.
  86. ↑ "Falkirk 1-3 Rangers". BBC Sport. BBC. 23 September 2014.
  87. ↑ "Rangers 2-0 Raith Rovers". BBC Sport. BBC. 1 March 2016.

External links

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