This summer there have been drastic changes to the Rangers squad with several first team players leaving and 9 players being brought in under new manager Mark Warburton’s new regime, but who are they?
#1 Danny Wilson: Former Hearts skipper Danny Wilson was one of the first new faces at Ibrox, signing a 3 year deal on the 22nd of June. Wilson came through the youth ranks at Rangers before making a move to English giants Liverpool in the summer of 2010 for £2 million. However he failed to make an impact and after several loan spells he returned to Scotland, this time playing for the Jambos. Last season he captained Hearts to the championship title, yet he exercised a clause in his contract that allowed him to become a free agent and as a result he returned home to Ibrox. Did you know? Wilson says his role model is former AC Milan legend Paulo Maldini
#2 Rob Kieran: The towering Irish centre back joined Rangers from Wigan Athletic for a fee of £200,000. Hebegan his career with English outfit Watford in 2008, yet having been on Watford’s books for 3 years he only made 2 appearances. During his spell at Watford he was sent on 4 separate loan deals, one of them being for Kilmarnock. He made his Kilmarnock debut against Celtic and helped them record a shock 1-0 win. However in the 2010-11 season he rejected a new contract at Watford and moved to Premier league side Wigan Athletic. Again, the 6ft 4in defender failed to really cement his place in the starting eleven and after a few more successful loan spells he joined Rangers. Did you know? The centre-back first worked with the new Rangers boss as a 12-year-old in the Watford youth ranks.
#3 Wes Foderingham: The next player signed by new Rangers manager, Mark Warburton, was English shot-stopper Wes Foderingham. He came through the youth set up at Fulham before going on loan to Bromley. After being released by Fulham he signed his first professional contract with Crystal Palace. 4 more loans spells later he eventually ended up at Swindon town, whose manager at the time was Paulo Di Canio. Infamously he was substituted after just 21 minutes after Swindon went 2 goals down. Moreover, after 152 appearances for Swindon Town he joined Rangers on the 3 July and has pledged the next 3 years to the Glasgow club. Did you know? Foderingham received 8As in his GSCE’s exams!
#4 Andy Halliday: The 23 year-old Scotsman has previously played for the light blues as he was involved in the youth set up at Murray Park. However he was released in 2006 and subsequently joined Livingston. After a short spell at he agreed a move to Gordon Strachan’s Middlesbrough in 2010. He went on a couple of loan spells including Bradford, before signing for them in January of 2015. He scored the third goal in Bradford City’s memorable 4-2 victory over Chelsea in the FA cup. Halliday played 32 games for Bradford, scoring 3 goals. Though this wasn’t enough to secure a deal and was released. Consequently he joined his boyhood heroes on the 18th of July. Did you know? Halliday failed his English exam at school because he was late coming back from UEFA cup final in Manchester.
#5 James Tavernier: Ranger’s newest right back James Tavernier was signed on the 20th of July on a three-year deal. Born in Bradford, Tavernier joined the youth set-up at Leeds United at the age of 9. In the summer of 2008 he made the move to premiership side Newcastle but failed to break through at St.James’ Park. Much like the other new signings, Tavernier has had several loan spells; 7 in total. In 2014 he was on the move again, this time signing a deal with Wigan Athletic. He played 13 times before deciding to move to Scotland this summer. Did you know? He scored twice for Bristol City in a 6-0 win against Bradford. His new teammate Andy Halliday was on the bench for Bradford that day.
#6 Martyn Waghorn: Born on the 23rd of January 1990, Waghorn signed for Sunderland at the age of 8 and made his first team debut 9 years later against Manchester United. He was sent on loan to Charlton and Leicester City before making a permanent switch to the foxes in 2010 for a fee of £3 million. During his two spells at Leicester he made 114 appearances and scored 20 times. Unfortunately, he failed to nail down first team football under Sven Goran-Erkinsson and as a result joined Wigan last season. After two seasons at Wigan he played 17 times and netting 4 times. He impressed Warburton and joined the Gers on the 20 July along with team mate Tavernier. Did you know? Waghorn is a former England U21 international. He played 5 times and scored twice!
#7 Jason Holt: Holt grew up in Musselburgh. He signed for his boyhood heroes, Hearts, in 2002 and went on to make 62 appearances finding the net 7 times during his 4 year stint at Tynecastle. He then made a loan move to Raith Rovers and scored once in 5 outings during the 2010/11 season. He returned to Hearts and in January 2015 he went on loan to Sheffield United until the end of the season. Holt had a rather successful spell down south as he bagged 5 goals in 15 games for te Blades. After agreeing a compensation sum of £65,000 with Hearts the 22-year-old joined Rangers on a three-year deal. Did you know? He picked up the Clydesdale Bank Premier League under-19 player of the season award in 2011.
