This season we have seen a much better balance to the Rangers team and in particular the supporting cast that has been called upon to provide back-up to Steven Gerrard’s key men.
Gone are Andy Halliday and Jon Flanagan, God bless them, they tried hard and gave everything but they just didn’t have the athleticism or technical ability to fit into our system and style of play, especially as replacements for Borna Barisic.
Calvin Bassey arrived and – St Mirren disaster aside – he has done well when trusted with filling in at left-back but his future is likely to be in the centre of defence, not because of any real deficiencies but because we have a ready made replacement learning his trade and proving his worth elsewhere – James Maxwell.
The 19-year old Scotland youth cap has flourished out on loan at Queen of the South, earning plaudits from his manager and fans of the club, for those of a Light Blue persuasion, it’s worth noting just how attacking the former Falkirk academy kid is – his conversion from left-winger to left-back will stand him in good stead if he is to make it at Ibrox.
He obviously has a long way to go but with an expected goals and assists ratio – in the league – of 0.17, he isn’t far away from his more illustrious Rangers team-mate and Croatian international Barisic at 0.22, the early signs are promising.
Making the transition from being an outstanding prospect to a senior professional is hard enough, let alone at Ibrox, but in Maxwell we have someone who has shown that – like Nathan Patterson – he has one key component needed to make it at the top, he backs himself and his ability, playing with a confidence that belies his age.
Seeing a team full of home grown talent is always a fans dream and we could be just around the corner from seeing a greater influence from the Auchenhowie training ground in the first-team, within three years Maxwell and Patterson will be our full-backs – you heard it here first.