When Andy Firth signed for Rangers back in January, it was by some distance the most bizarre of the club’s transfer moves.
In the same month that the Gers secured the signatures two esteemed Premier League stars in Steven Davis and Jermain Defoe, they decided to raid non-league football for a goalkeeper.
This wasn’t a short term loan as emergency cover, either. The 22-year-old was given an 18-month contract.
The player’s own disbelief was palpable during his first interview as a Ger.
Fast forward a few months and, unsurprisingly, he’s yet to make his Rangers debut.
He was included in a couple of matchday squads, playing back up to Wes Foderingham, while Allan McGregor was suspended.
However, as the season draws to a close, the pointlessness of the move comes into sharper focus.
Wes Foderingham could well leave Rangers this summer in search of first-team football. Few Gers fans would begrudge him that.
However, even if that is the case, by the end of May, both Robbie McCrorie and Jak Alnwick will be returning from their respective loan spells.
Promising Academy players Aidan McAdams and Nicky Hogarth will also return from loan stints at Annan Athletic and Kilwinning Rangers, respectively.
Furthermore, Daniel Bachmann claims Rangers have been in touch with his agents [LAOLA1].
Therefore, there’s a whole host of keepers under contract at Ibrox or on the club’s radar.
Obviously, there could be one or two departures.
However, even at that, it’s near certain that there will be no circumstances under which Firth is called upon.
Firth a Ger for another season
Ronald de Boer may have been off the mark with some of his comments earlier in the week [Evening Times]. Yet, promoting homegrown talent is important.
Based on his previous playing CV, Firth isn’t good enough to genuinely challenge for a spot.
For the next year though, he’ll be taking up a place in training which could have gone to an Academy player.
A great opportunity presented Firth in January and no one could blame him for taking it.
Plucked from non-league Barrow, he has a chance to learn alongside top performers like McGregor and benefit from quality coaching in highly a professional environment.
From the club’s point of view though, there simply doesn’t seem to be a benefit.
