Edmond Dantes
Well-Known Member
Always thought Barry Nicholson would turn out better than he did.
Jamie Barjonas
Jamie Barjonas
Yeah mate that does ring a bell. I didn’t know he was Thomsons cousin tho. Nice wee link thereHe went on loan to Scunthorpe I think and scored quite a few goals one season.
Think he is Kevin Thomson’s cousin?
Steven MacLean scored 20 one season for Sheffield Wednesday and he got a few goals for Cardiff as well I think. Both MacLean and Thomson went to school in Peebles (like me) but don’t remember them being related. Both were good guys and deserved the careers they got. Another wee Rangers link, our now Director of Football Operations Creag Robertson was in the same school football team as them.Yeah mate that does ring a bell. I didn’t know he was Thomsons cousin tho. Nice wee link there
Maybe not but 4 league titles would say he did alright and got in a team with Laudrup gazza albertz etc. Would be our best player nowCharlie Miller, played a fair number of games for us but never at the level I thought he should have.
He looked excellent when he came through.Was just going to mention Jamie Ness.
He looked excellent when he came through.
Unsure of the timing but think Ryan Hardie would have been excellent coming through.
His injury killed his career. When he came back he was absolutely direKyle Hutton was ok at the start when he came through
Forever immortalised for the cross/assist that clinched 9 in a row.Charlie Miller, played a fair number of games for us but never at the level I thought he should have.
going back earlier again to the start of the 70s, Iain Mcdonald was someone we thought could have been special, but a cruel injury curtailed his Rangers career and we never got to see what he could have becomeFrom the days before Academies were invented, there were a few "brilliant youngsters in the reserves" who we expected great things but it didn't happen.
Derek Strickland, Steve Richardson, Scott Fraser, Robert Clark, Dougie Robertson, Kenny Lyall and John Morrow are names from the late 70s through to the early 90s that spring to mind.
I think it was a Hibs player called Shevlane who wrecked McDonald's knee with a shocker of a tackle?going back earlier again to the start of the 70s, Iain Mcdonald was someone we thought could have been special, but a cruel injury curtailed his Rangers career and we never got to see what he could have become
When you think back to the likes of Durrant and both Ferguson brothers coming through, Robert Fleck too to some extent, it was pretty much expected back then that we would have homegrown players in our team.I doubt Rangers will ever get this right, which is a shame as we need something in place for our future well being.
One thing we definitely need is a couple of Scottish lads in our team. Oh for an Ian Durrant, Ian Ferguson, John Brown or a Barry Ferguson.
Did he have a brother called Graeme, may have been in the reserves under Souness? John Morrow was incredibly promising, but a challenge by Souness in training injured him (broken leg?) and he never came back the same.From the days before Academies were invented, there were a few "brilliant youngsters in the reserves" who we expected great things but it didn't happen.
Derek Strickland, Steve Richardson, Scott Fraser, Robert Clark, Dougie Robertson, Kenny Lyall and John Morrow are names from the late 70s through to the early 90s that spring to mind.
Think Nicholson was very unfortunate with the calibre of midfielder ahead of him at that time.Always thought Barry Nicholson would turn out better than he did.
Jamie Barjonas
From the days before Academies were invented, there were a few "brilliant youngsters in the reserves" who we expected great things but it didn't happen.
Derek Strickland, Steve Richardson, Scott Fraser, Robert Clark, Dougie Robertson, Kenny Lyall and John Morrow are names from the late 70s through to the early 90s that spring to mind.
Did look out of place in Champions League games, didn’t look out of place in the 3rd Division.Kyle Hutton was ok at the start when he came through
Hardie was a cool finisher when in the youths (he still shows that now) but looked lost when given his debut v Dumbarton (I think).Ryan Hardie scored a lot for the youths, but never grasped the chance with us.
Decent career down in Plymouth, but had high hopes for him.
Robbie Crawford was always highest in terms of fitness and thought he might have had a chance also.
Lowry is a gifted player mate, no doubt about it. I guess am one of a diminishing band that thinks he could still make it with us.I’m still waiting for the talented Alex Lowry.
Not an option.Honestly think we should just bin the academy, save the money - buy the best young players in Scotland and loan them out to teams to play regular “high level” football - probably easier to sell them also
I’m in the same boat as you BG.Lowry is a gifted player mate, no doubt about it. I guess am one of a diminishing band that thinks he could still make it with us.
We’ve all heard the tales about his approach & I have no clue whether any of it is true.
I maintain that Beale’s ridiculous comment about “would your team mates pick you” did Lowry no good whatsoever - no way would he have said that about any of the senior players, despite their many individual faults.
I would like to think a new season gives him an opportunity to impress Clement, but I accept he’s running out of time.
Dean Furman at least made a living out of the game if not spectacular.Dean Furman
Having been a teenager when we were climbing up the Leagues, and being put in a position where we had to promote Youth players such as Hegarty, Aird, McKay, who are some players we promoted from the academy, that in your opinion, never lived up to their potential?
Stef Hughes was labouring on a building site I worked on a few years ago.Our academy has produced some great careers, almost none of them for any period of time with us, beyond the initial promise.
The few year span of:
Mo Ross
Stephen Hughes
McCormack
Burke
Hutton
Adam
And to a lesser extent:
Steven Smith
Alan Lowing
Bob Davidson
Graham Smith
Brian McLean
Overall the first team return on the academy investment over 20 years has been atrocious.
Scored v Dumbarton.Hardie was a cool finisher when in the youths (he still shows that now) but looked lost when given his debut v Dumbarton (I think).
He’s doing well at Plymouth without being undroppable - they have a good front line & rotate quite a lot.
Am not sure he can go any higher than the Championship but would imagine he’s pretty happy with his career so far.
Billy King ? The player who was on loan for 6 months from Hearts ?Few names from the 90’s the spring to mind would be Michael Rae, Darren Fitzgerald, Brian McGinty, Chris Jardine, Ross Milligan, Lee Dair, Peter McDonald, Steven Boyack, Greig Shields, Jazz Juttla.
From the dark days, Tom Walsh, Billy King, Lewis McLeod. Pretty sure Nicky Clark was an academy player at one time.
If 12 goals is scoring for fun then yes your right.Hardie scores for fun and rarely injured..far better than donkey dessers
Anyone is anyone or going to be anyone now goes down south much earlier on.The disturbing thing to me is since Robert Fleck we have not produced one 20 plus season top flight striker, absolute disgrace and makes me wonder what is going on.
Someone who our team should have been built around coming back up through the leagues. A very talented boy who injuries absolutely ruined.Few names from the 90’s the spring to mind would be Michael Rae, Darren Fitzgerald, Brian McGinty, Chris Jardine, Ross Milligan, Lee Dair, Peter McDonald, Steven Boyack, Greig Shields, Jazz Juttla.
From the dark days, Tom Walsh, Billy King, Lewis McLeod. Pretty sure Nicky Clark was an academy player at one time.
According to Hemmings himself he let himself down at Rangers due to nerves. The manager believed in him but he was a bag of nerves every time he got a chance.Can never get my head round letting Hemmings go. I was young though so may have missed something!
Iirc he was injured for a good chunk of the 3rd division season but we ended up loaning him out to a higher division where he scored for fun. Then obviously left on a permanent deal to a better league and continued to score!
Dean Furman
One of the few bright spots in the Ally era in my opinionBarrie McKay should’ve played at a much better level for the technical ability he has.
Mentally not cut out for the top.
Never knew he was a loanee. To be fair, I don’t think I ever went to Ibrox sober back then, so I probably have misremembered.Billy King ? The player who was on loan for 6 months from Hearts ?
Derek Strickland is a family friend. Jock Wallace took him to Leicester from Ibrox.From the days before Academies were invented, there were a few "brilliant youngsters in the reserves" who we expected great things but it didn't happen.
Derek Strickland, Steve Richardson, Scott Fraser, Robert Clark, Dougie Robertson, Kenny Lyall and John Morrow are names from the late 70s through to the early 90s that spring to mind.
Darren Cole was (is) an absolute throbber.Jamie Barjonas was a very strange one, maybe just wasn’t good enough for us but his move to Kielty was bizarre at the time and now at Hamilton, just seems a total waste of talent.
Darren Cole was another who just totally wasted himself.