RECENT academy signing Tony Weston was delighted to join Rangers this summer and the Liverpool-born striker says he has been made to feel so welcome by everyone at the club since he moved north.
Tony, who turns 17 later this month, was recruited from Blackpool in July and has been blown away by the facilities and high-calibre coaching on offer at the training ground.
He scored 14 goals for Blackpool’s youth team last season before being promoted to their first-team squad and he chose to continue his development at Rangers despite interest from a host of top clubs in England.
Speaking as he helped promote the Rangers Youth Development Company, the young striker said: “It’s a massive move for me. A really huge move. It’s a big step up coming to Rangers compared to Blackpool but the facilities here are incredible and I am really enjoying it.
“The facilities here are top class and this is a really exciting move for me.
“I’m delighted to be here and I will work as hard as possible to make an impact at Rangers.
“I spoke to ex-Rangers youth striker Ryan Hardie about the club when I was at Blackpool and he told me great things. He told me this is a great club and the facilities and coaches are amazing and he is right.
“When I first got up here I could see that for myself. I’ve also seen Ibrox now and it’s an amazing stadium. The Trophy Room in incredible and shows you what a successful club this really is.”
Tony was delighted to get back out on the training pitch after lockdown and he is determined to seize every opportunity he earns at Rangers.
He continued: “Lockdown was tough for everyone but it is great to be back on the training pitch again.
“I was doing a lot of running before I moved to Scotland but to get back into training and start doing ball work – even in small groups – has been great for us all.
“We are doing a lot of conditioning to be ready for the new season and I actually don’t mind the running. The training sessions are brilliant and I am really excited to start playing games.
“I enjoyed my time at Blackpool. It was good for me and I was doing well there at youth level and when I started to mature I was able to kick on. Now I know I will get the chance to learn and develop even more at Rangers.
“I play up front on the shoulder of defenders and I like to drop back into pockets of space. My main asset is I score goals, I am quick and I am comfortable with both feet.
“The end goal for me is to break into the Rangers first team but I have to be realistic and patient and work as hard as I can every day at the academy.
“I know there is a lot of expectation and high hopes for me at the club so I want to work as hard as possible and keep learning from the coaching staff and players.
“I will try and make the most of any opportunities I earn.
“They are all top coaches here and we are looked after so well. Sports Science is important these days too and everyone looks after the players.
“I was a bit nervous moving to Glasgow as it has been a whirlwind move but I have been made to feel so welcome and I have settled in really quickly.
“The club has really looked after me. There are so many good people at Rangers and I can see a pathway to the first team. There are lot of goals I will work towards and I want to make the most of this great move to Rangers.”
It will also come as no surprise to learn that Tony is a massive Liverpool fan and like all supporters from the red side of the city, he is a huge admirer of Steven Gerrard.
Tony added: “Having someone like him at the club gives us all an incentive to work even harder and try and catch his eye.
“I idolise the manager and look up to him so much.
“You want to play for managers like him in your career, he sets such high standards and had a great playing career at Liverpool.
“He actually used to live in the same street as me. He is a Liverpool legend and I am a huge Liverpool fan and it was great to see them winning the league title this year.
“Jurgen Klopp has done an amazing job there. When he joined he said it would take three of four years to win the league and he has done it. The whole city is buzzing and they have a great team.
“They are great to watch and I also love watching players like Messi, Suarez and Aguero, guys that score so many goals. I want to be like them and score goals in big matches one day too.”