Ex-Rangers star Brandon Barker has made his debut with Morecambe FC after signing with the English League Two side until the end of the season.
The once highly-rated winger – who is now 27 – came off the bench for the Shrimps as the club came from a goal down to beat MK Dons 2-1 in injury time.
It marks Brandon Barker’s first appearance since leaving Cypriot club Omonia, for whom the ex-Manchester City winger played under Neil Lennon.
After six months without a club, everyone at Rangers will be wishing Barker all the best but his current status in the fourth tier of English football isn’t how many thought Brandon’s career would pan out.
Ex-Rangers star tipped for the top
Once amongst the most highly-rated players in the Manchester City youth academy, Brandon Barker was tipped for the very top during his time with at the Etihad.
Indeed, Liverpool right-back and England international Trent Alexander-Arnold claimed that at one point he felt Barker would go on to be “the best player in the world”.
Moving to Ibrox in the summer of 2019, Brandon Barker was very much signed as a back-up option should a deal for Ryan Kent have fallen through.
But despite the Ibrox side going on to sign the former Liverpool winger, Barker was still given plenty of opportunities in Glasgow.
Brandon Barker restarts at Morecambe
Steven Gerrard did put his trust in the pacey Brandon Barker on several occasions, including in high profile matches at home and abroad.
Once starting at Celtic Park, Brandon Barker also started both clashes against FC Porto in the Europa League campaign in his first season.
But as opportunities waned and the pressure of life in Glasgow got to the attacker, minutes became sparse and suddenly Barker was back out on loan.
After a brief, if not productive, stint with Oxford United in 2021, the winger returned to Rangers before eventually signing with Reading in 2022.
Now starting out a new chapter with Morecambe, Brandon Barker may well still have the opportunity to prove himself worthy of the hype that surrounded his formative years.
In total Barker made 27 appearances for Rangers, scoring three goals.
