NATHAN PATTERSON capped an impressive season by earning a place in the Scotland squad for this summer’s European Championships and Rangers Academy team-mate Kai Kennedy is thrilled to see his form being rewarded.
Both players made their first-team debuts for Rangers in a Scottish Cup tie against Stranraer at Ibrox in January 2020 having progressed through the Academy ranks together.
Kai, who spent the season on loan at Raith Rovers and helped the Kirkaldy side reach the Championship play offs, says he is delighted to see Nathan’s hard work and dedication earning recognition at club and international level.
Speaking as he helped promote The Rangers Youth Development Company – who have provided more than £9 million to the Rangers Academy since 2002 – Kai said: “I am absolutely buzzing for him. He is one of my best mates so I am so pleased for him and he deserves it.
“He was absolutely brilliant in the games he played for Rangers this season and I couldn’t be any more proud or happier for him.
“It’s hard to get games at right back as James Tavernier is the captain and plays at such a high level but when Nathan got his chance he took it.
“We have grown up together at the academy and it was an absolute pleasure to watch him playing in the first-team, in domestic and European matches. I am really proud of him.
“He’s played at all levels for Scotland – 17s, 18s, 19s and under 21s – and now I am so happy he has been called up to the squad for the Euros.
“It’s a dream come true. Every young boy wants to play for their county at a major tournament and Nathan has the chance to do that this summer.
“It’s great to see one of your best mates doing so well and he deserves it. I am really happy for him.
“He can be an inspiration for all Rangers Academy players. To see him breaking through is great for the club. The manager has given him game time and he has earned the manager’s trust as he has gone out and done the job when asked to play.
“And now his reward is to get picked for the Scotland squad at the Euros and he deserves his place.
“Nathan played his part in a title-winning team and there was only one team that was going to win the league this year. It was totally deserved. The way Rangers played as a team was a joy to watch and it was great to see Nathan coming in from the Rangers Academy and doing so well.
“We both made our Rangers debuts against Stranraer at Ibrox in the Scottish Cup and that was a dream come true for the two of us.
“That was a brilliant moment for him and for me and my family. You work hard at the academy for years to earn the chance to play and I was buzzing to come on at Ibrox for the first-team. It gives you a taste for it but you have to keep working hard to get your chance and I would love to get more games.”
Kai impressed during his loan spell at Raith Rovers, he joined in January after initially being at Inverness Caledonian Thistle for the early part of the 20/21 campaign, and the 19-year-old is grateful to both clubs for giving him the platform to continue his development in a competitive environment.
He added: “I really enjoyed my time at Raith Rovers, every single bit of it. It was a great experience for me and I loved playing in that team.
“The players and staff there were all brilliant with me from the moment I got there so I enjoyed it. The last six months at Raith has been a pleasure.
“As soon as I went there I felt settled and I knew a few of the boys before I joined anyway. They have a great bunch of boys there and I have learned a lot from the experience.
“I scored a couple of goals and I enjoyed scoring the one early on against Dundee. That was a good strike and meant a lot to me.
“It is a lot different from playing academy games because you are playing for important points every week and every game means something.
“It was great to play a part in a team that was pushing for promotion and you learn from every match you play in.
“I will definitely come back to Rangers a better player. I think I had a good season and I think I am more confident for playing week in, week out.
“I was used in a few different positions. The last few weeks I was playing in the ’10 role’ and before that I was on the left wing so I have learned a lot from playing in those two positions.
“I have also learned how to deal with the pressure that comes with playing competitive matches. There is a lot at stake every week and you have to try and get three points all the time, you can’t just go out and play. You have to think about the game more.
“I was absolutely gutted to pick up an injury and miss the play-off games against Dundee. It was bad timing but you get setbacks in football so you just need to come back from them. That’s part of football.
“But I was able to play in pretty much all of the matches when I was fit so this loan, and the one before at Inverness Caledonian Thistle which I also enjoyed, has helped me develop a lot.
“I would like to thank John Robertson at Inverness, John McGlynn at Raith Rovers and all of the staff I worked with for giving me the opportunity at both clubs.
“It was a shame there were no fans able to watch games inside the stadiums. Hopefully it won’t be long before they can get back in because they have been missed. But overall the loan spells have been really good for me.
“I will come back to Rangers for pre-season now and see what happens. I will push myself to the max and see where it takes me, whether that’s going out on loan again or trying to break through to the first team.
“The facilities at Rangers are obviously different to other clubs down the leagues, and that’s no disrespect to anyone, but I think when you are away on loan it makes you realise what you have got at Rangers.”
Annual Rangers Youth Development Company donations make a positive difference to players like Kai and Nathan. More than £9 million has been provided and the latest donation was another £450,000 in January.
For full details on RYDC and their products - which include Rangers Lotto, Rangers Pools, Rangers Quiz, The Union Jackpot, Scratchcards and Stadium Bricks - visit www.rydc.co.uk or call 0141 427 4914.