AHEAD of Rangers B opening Lowland League fixture this afternoon, Sporting Director Ross Wilson gave his support to the players and staff.
"I wish all of our lads, the coaching and support team every success for our B Team campaign which starts this afternoon against Bo’ness United.
"The first aspect that had to be addressed in our strategy was to have a clear Rangers football identity and for that to be evident in our First Team and professional development phase. I am pleased to now watch our teams play and see that clear identity. We have a group of players enjoying playing the way that we want them to - dominating the ball and playing attacking front foot football.
"Furthermore, we needed to find a way to really challenge our players as individuals and as a team. We are looking forward to this new challenge in the Lowland League. This is a significant moment for our club as we turn 150, but for Scottish football as a whole.
"In respect of that new challenge, we have led the way in creating this new opportunity for our young players, and we thank our friends in the Lowland League for the opportunity to join their league in 21/22. Rangers have utmost respect for all of the teams in the Lowland League and we look forward to supporting the league as much as we possibly can, both from a commercial and sporting perspective.
"We are delighted, but not at all surprised, to see our opening game almost instantly sell out. Albeit we remain disappointed that the Scottish government restrictions only permit 300 to be at the game at our temporary home in Dumbarton. We share the frustration of Bo’ness United that regulations don’t allow us to welcome their fans along the game. That would have made an already important day, much more special. The Rangers fans in attendance will enjoy seeing our young players play and I hope that the playing identity of our B Team resonates with our fanbase. I am sure the fans will give every encouragement to our young group as they have done whether it be in Porto or Peterhead.
"Our player base will be primarily of U19 age. We will deliberately lead with a very young side, that’s what I’ve asked of our academy and that’s what we all believe in - young players being challenged and stretched. Week in, week out.
"Good luck once again to our young players and thanks to the Rangers fans for their support.
"It is a cliche but the journey is as important as the destination."
RANGERS B team’s debut match in the Lowland League has sold out - but you can catch all the action exclusively LIVE on RangersTV.
David McCallum’s side begin their first senior campaign on Saturday afternoon (kick off 3pm) as they host Bo’ness United at the C&G Systems Stadium in Dumbarton.
The match is available on a pay-per-view basis for £3.49 HERE both inside and outside the UK and as part of the RangersTV Unlimited package.
Stuart Spencer will be on commentary as Rangers begin their historic campaign in the Scottish Lowland League.
Before the match, we’ll have exclusive previews with David McCallum discussing the return of competitive action and goalkeeper Jay Hogarth on his hopes for the upcoming season.
Fans are reminded that the match on Saturday is sold out and there will be no pay at the gate on the day of the game, so please don’t travel to Dumbarton without a ticket.
RangersTV is the only place to follow pre-season this season and we'll have exclusive behind-the-scenes access to the Rangers Training Centre every day as Steven Gerrard’s side prepare to build on the fantastic success of last season.
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