MALKY Thomson says he has been impressed by the personality that his Under-19s players have shown throughout this season.
The young Gers are fresh off a 2-0 Old Firm success earlier this week, which has set up an exciting end to the campaign.
It was an impressive performance which earned the victory, with midfielder Luca Rankin, still only 15, opening the scoring before captain Aiden McCallion converted from the penalty spot in the second period.
Speaking to the official Rangers website, the Under-19s head coach commented: “The one thing about the boys is that they have a belief in themselves.
“To win a league it’s over the course of multiple games, but I think the involvement of players who have played Under-17s has been vital.
“We want to win it. We have a mountain of staff who have been involved in the Under-17s and Under-19s, and everyone has a vested interest.
“If you look at the team which played on Monday, they’ve actively been involved with both the Under-17s and Under-19s throughout the season.
“We set out to win every game at the start of the season, and it’s important that if we do get over the line in the league, that we can give opportunities to players to play in Europe.”
The side had as many as three 2010-born players in the starting lineup as Rankin was joined by Kyle Glasgow and Ashton Scally.
They were supplemented by several players who have experienced men’s football this season through various loan moves, among whom Arran Kerr and Jack Wyllie lined up in defence.
He added: “We’re delighted. This rivalry is a benchmark, and both teams are desperate to get a victory over each other.
“In that sense, Monday was great, and I thought our performance was really good, especially in the first half.
“I thought we became a bit slack in the second half, and it spread through the team. It was perhaps concentration, and it’s great for the staff and myself to be able to work on those things.
“He has obviously been round training with the first-team and he’s done well, but he’s having to prove on the pitch that he can compete against a good side. He has done himself proud.
“I’m singling him out purely because of his age and stage, but we also had solid performances from Aiden McCallion, Jack Wyllie, and Arran Kerr.
“Some of these boys have been out on loan and have come back to add value, not only in terms of winning games but also to help the even younger players.”
Rangers Academy is proudly sponsored by Carrick Packaging
VIP HOSPITALITY: Combining all the passion, excitement and joy of football with an unrivalled choice of suites and packages, a matchday at Ibrox can be exactly what you want it to be
SOCCER ACADEMY: Kicking off from 18 months old, with classes across Scotland and Northern Ireland, available term-time and holidays
ASK RANGERS: A dedicated platform where fans can access essential Q&As on ticketing, VIP hospitality and MyGers, and contact our Supporter Services team