As Rangers comfortably dispatched Livingston 2-0, the inclusion of back-up full-backs Calvin Bassey and Nathan Patterson was a timely reminder of the progress made at Ibrox.
Only last season there was a nervousness about both players being back-ups in what are arguably two of the most important positions when it comes to our style of play.
After all, club captain James Tavernier – lauded as the best full-back in Scotland by manager Steven Gerrard – and Croatian international Borna Barisic – who is unarguably the best left-back in Scotland – contributed 55 goals between them last season.
Even before the last campaign, back-up to the two players at either left-back or right-back was a recurring issue as the Gers toiled for quality options at wing-back.
Steven Gerrard’s team requires energy in these positions but it also requires bravery and above all else quality when it comes to the execution of crosses and sweeping moves.
The progress of both Bassey, 21, and Patterson, 19, in this regard is clear to see and despite their young ages, they are clearly players with high development potential and pre-existing quality.
Bassey – whose worst game in a Rangers shirt was the same stage of the League Cup away to St Mirren last season – was a powerful runner who kept peppering the box with crosses.
Patterson shows himself to be every inch as capable of playing those neat one twos at the edge of the box and has that Tav-like intuition regarding when to drive inside himself.
The development of both players has saw the full-back roles change from one with fears about depth to one of the best-stocked on the field with fans even now questioning if either player can depose their more experienced cohorts.
But what is clear is that the Rangers backroom staff got it right when they claimed these two would provide the perfect folly to Tavernier and Barisic throughout the course of a season.
Not only are these youngsters pushing those in front of them for a spot but they’re emerging as two real assets in the Ibrox squad who can be relied upon to put in a performance for the team.
Beyond that, they’re also emerging as two of the club’s most valuable young players and both could go on to bank record-breaking transfer fees for the club in the seasons to come.
With ex-Celtic star Kieran Tierney setting a full-back precedent with a £25m move to Arsenal, few would bet against Rangers banking some major dosh on both Nathan Patterson and Calvin Bassey in the years to come.
Patterson and Bassey weren’t the only Rangers players who caught the eye in the 2-0 win over Livingston as a super-sub stole the day with his match altering performance.
