This afternoon the expected transfer of centre-half Connor Goldson from Brighton to Rangers has been completed and announced.
The 25-year-old becomes our sixth signing of the summer so far and he has penned a new four year deal at Ibrox.
???? “I am tall, I am athletic, I can move, I am quite quick and I like to think I am good on the ball, I always want the ball and I want to play."
???? Goldson on Goldson, Gerrard & the Gers: https://t.co/VMz5ixUsQ3 pic.twitter.com/KkSSc7WUYY
— Rangers Football Club (@RangersFC) June 13, 2018
Having began his career with Shrewsbury Town, playing for them in both League Two and League One, he made the move to Brighton in the summer of 2015 and he leaves with just over 40 games to his name from his time with them. It’s not really a fair reflection on his ability owing to the partnership that their two regular centre-halves, Lewis Dunk and Shane Duffy, have struck up. When he did play he impressed.
His time with them was also disrupted with the discovery of a heart defect that caused him to have a spell on the sidelines as he underwent preventative surgery, which he has now fully recovered from and he returned to action for Brighton last season.
Joking that he felt the deal had taken ‘forever’ to get over the line, he told the Official Site.
“I am delighted to join Rangers, even though it hasn’t taken that long to sign it seems like it has taken forever. I am just pleased to finally get it done and to get the chance to showcase my abilities at a massive club with a huge fan base. I probably could have stayed at Brighton. They weren’t really desperate for me to go but I think at this stage, at 25-years-old and with the operation I obviously had, it just made me hungrier to want to play football. That put a lot of things in perspective and one of those things was to just play as much as I could.”
Having grown up as a Liverpool fan, manager Steven Gerrard was obviously a key part of his decision to make the move and he’s relishing the opportunity of working under him now.
The Rangers welcome from the fans has been as you’d expect, the interesting point for me is the well wishes Goldson has received from the Brighton fans as he departed.
You’ve got a cracking signing there, look after him please Rangers.
Heart of a lion, you’ll be missed at the Albion @connorgoldson ????— GARETH ???? (@seagulls72) June 13, 2018
Important squad member for our historic promotion to the premier league
Much love for him after his heart problem & operation
Good luck next season my friend ????????????????— GARETH ???? (@seagulls72) June 13, 2018
Good luck Connor show rangers how good you are sorry your leaving blame dunk and Duffy go win the premiership with the gets look after him for us rangers fans you have a gem of a player always gives 100 per cent miss you already connor
— Big Philly (@ManvillePhilip) June 13, 2018
Very day for @OfficialBHAFC fans. Conor is our hero in both how he played and conducted himself, but also his courage in facing his health problem season before last
Good luck Conor Goldson.
— Colin (@colin_gull) June 13, 2018
You lot have got yourselves an absoulute bargain and top player ????
— George Taylor (@propperGeorge) June 13, 2018
Such a good defender, sad he’s left us but he’ll be cracking for you!
— Joey Thorpe (@joeythorpe96) June 13, 2018
For the Scottish league I’d say a 6-7. He’s barely played for us this season(only when Duffy was suspended) but he made a really good account for him self but didn’t have enough time to earn his place hence why he’s moving away. It’s definitely a good signing for you.
— Ryan (@Ryanmoss58) June 13, 2018
If that is anything to go off, let’s hope he hits the ground running quickly and settles right in.
Although I do have to pick out this analogy for my own amusement!
Hearing a defender say ‘all I want to do is keep a clean sheet’ is like hearing a girl say ‘I will go on top’. I like the fact Goldson and Katic are big, strong, pacey and ball playing defenders – fingers crossed we see the benefits on the pitch!
— Douglas Kinnear (@Dougiek85) June 13, 2018