Josh McPake scored the winner yesterday as Rangers kicked off pre-season with a 3-2 victory over Partick Thistle – and the Ibrox Academy graduate is putting in the work to prove he deserves another chance at Ibrox.
McPake’s Ibrox career looked over earlier this summer when it was reported that the Gers hierarchy were willing to let him leave for nothing after a number of indifferent loan spells and claims of attitude problems.
McPake netted the third goal at Auchenhowie yesterday as a fringe Rangers side beat the Jags and the attacker has been putting the work in over the summer.
A series of videos on social media have shown the graft McPake, alongside Leon King, has been putting in ahead of the return to training as he looks to kick-start his career.
Just a few years ago he was on the fringes of the first-team and was involved in a Europa League qualifier before seemingly falling out of favour under Steven Gerrard.
Loan moves to Morton, Dundee, Harrogate Town, Morecambe and Tranmere done little to help push McPake towards Rangers’ first-team and likely done more harm than good in the long-term.
McPake’s apparent new leaf can help salvage Rangers career
McPake’s position in the squad currently has been made clear by the fact the former Scotland youth international’s training kit still bears his squad number rather than the initials like first-team players.
However, his renewed application could see that quickly change as he looks to revive his career and live up to the hype that saw Steven Gerrard hype the player up on a number of occasions.
At only 20, McPake feels like he’s been around far longer than he has and it’s possibly something that hasn’t worked in his favour, but it’s clear he still has plenty of time left to carve out a solid career.
Whether that is at Ibrox or not likely hinges on the next few months but it’s clear that McPake is doing what he can to show that he’s willing to fight for his Rangers future.
In other news, Rangers star heads to London for talks ahead of £20million move