Rangers B bring the curtain down on their maiden campaign in the Lowland League this afternoon and head coach David McCallum admits the “most pleasing aspect” of the season has been seeing a number of his players step up to the first-team.
The likes of Charlie McCann, Alex Lowry and Leon King have all played for the first-team this season, with several others making the bench for Gio van Bronckhorst’s senior side.
For McCallum that was the main target at the start of the season as he looks to provide a platform for the Academy talents at the club to show they can make the step from promising youngsters to first-team stars.
“When we came into this campaign, it was about playing in a competitive environment against men, knowing that it was going to be different than playing against equivalent ages,” McCallum said [Rangers TV].
“We knew it was going to be different, there was also going to be interest from the media, the external side of the game and supporters. There were always going to be different factors over the course of this season, that was different for the players and the staff.
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“We had a couple of results that unfortunately didn’t go our way, the bit after that is about trying to find ways to manage that as well.
“The biggest objective is always going to be player progression, any player that moves from the B squad to the first team in any capacity, that’s how we will be judged and held against – it’s also the most pleasing factor. The lads will still bounce back to some B team games to ensure that their game time is where it needs to be to continue their development, but there is no doubt that it’s the biggest success.
“It’s the most pleasing aspect of anything that we have achieved throughout the course of this season.”
Rangers B host Dalbeattie Star this afternoon
The Gers face Dalbeattie Star this afternoon in Dumbarton in their final league game of the season as they look to secure second place in the league.
McCallum’s side sit three points off Celtic having played one game fewer and a win for Rangers this afternoon would see them leapfrog their rivals.
With a Lowland League return for next season already confirmed, there will be plenty of chances next season for them Ibrox youngsters to go one better.
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