Cult Rangers figure John Eustace has been appointed as manager of English Championship Birmingham City in what is the former midfielder’s first full-time managerial role.
The former Derby County midfielder, 42, takes charge at St Andrew’s on a three-year deal as the Blues hope to build on a 20th place finish under Lee Bowyer last season.
Eustace joins Birmingham City after a stint working with as the assistant manager of the Republic of Ireland national team.
Some Rangers fans may be asking what the former Coventry, Stoke and Watford journeyman has to do with the Ibrox side given he never kicked a ball for the Gers.
But his status as cult figure comes from Mark Warburton’s time with the club where Rangers were looking to overhaul the squad and mount an assault on the Scottish Championship.
Ex-Rangers triallist John Eustace appointed at Birmingham
John Eustace was earmarked as a major Warburton signing despite his tender years and trained extensively with the Ibrox club in the summer of 2015.
But despite reports then suggesting Rangers would move the player never regained his fitness and the name John Eustace has become something of a running joke ever since.
Every transfer window the name pops up as a player Rangers should be interested in whilst fans regularly crack wise about Eustace’s inevitable involvement in the matches to come.
It’s not very often a player gets to retain something of a cult status amongst Rangers fans despite never playing a game but alas John Eustace remains sarcastically remembered by the club’s fans.
Here’s what John Eustace had to say about being appointed at Birmingham [BCFC]:
“I am very proud to be here. Obviously, I am a Birmingham lad and I know the potential of the Club and how important it is to the fans.
“We have underachieved in the past few seasons and a club of this size, with the support that this club has, we need to be aiming higher.
“I can’t wait to get going, meet the staff and get my ideas across to the players out on the pitches as soon as we can.
“The big picture is to get us as competitive as we can, to build a team that the fans are proud of, to play exciting football and win as many games as we can.
“The first thing we have to do is get this squad competitive and ready for that first game of the season against Luton.”
Meanwhile, one Rangers-linked striker is reportedly set to sign a deal elsewhere.
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