Stephen Kelly was never given a proper chance and Rangers got it wrong in letting him leave for Livingston.
Nobody is saying that the 23-year old midfielder was the future Barry Ferguson but not every academy player has to be a world beater to be valuable.
At a time when we are in desperate need of someone to orchestrate proceedings from in front of the defence, the on-form and highly-praised Stephen Kelly would have been the perfect option to replace Steven Davis.
Cast your mind back to a disjointed pre-season in 2021, Kelly was our best player with Gary McAllister hailing him as doing “fantastically well”.
The Scotland youth international was tipped to have a “big career” by Steven Davis in an interview with the Glasgow Times and James Tavernier labelled him as a “baller” when engaging with fans online.
Stephen Kelly would still have something to offer Rangers
Despite the praise, Steven Gerrard kept him on the bench or in the stands.
Between his loan spells and pre-season form, Kelly couldn’t have done any more to force his way into the manager’s plans.
Davis, Glen Kamara and John Lundstram were shoe-horned into a midfield that wasn’t functioning with Ryan Jack injured and the team’s performances disjointed.
It was clear that we needed fresh legs, and yet, Stephen Kelly only ever saw a few minutes off the bench for Rangers.
Successful loan moves suggested a bright future but it is now Livingston who are reaping the benefits of his Auchenhowie upbringing.
Manager David Martindale hailing his playmaker’s form as “extremely pleasing”.
Kelly, in a recent interview, spoke about his disappointment at not getting more minutes under Gerrard or an opportunity under Giovanni van Bronckhorst and it is one that should serve as a reminder for the future.
Sitting behind Nicolas Raskin and Todd Cantwell, Kelly would have offered the sort of cover and direct passing that is needed in the Rangers midfield rather than a square peg in a round hole.
That we also lost a valuable club trained player was also a blow for our European squad.
Kelly is the perfect example of the responsibility that the Rangers manager has to give youth a chance but that the academy can only do so much.
A manager will always turn to an experienced campaigner sitting on the bench which is why the likes of Davis and Scott Arfield shouldn’t have been given contract extensions blocking the pathway for an outstanding young talent.
Hopefully we have learned from this mistake when Michael Beale makes the decisions this summer.
