Steven Gerrard has dumped two more Covidiot starlets while Nathan Patterson enjoys a media campaign to install him in the Scotland team after starting five SPFL matches.
Back in February five Ibrox stars were given Fixed Penalties after being caught by Police Scotland attending a house party while Glasgow was in Tier 4. Today the club dumped starlets Dapo Mebude and Brian Kinnear on the scrapheap.
Fortunately, the SFA waited until the end of April before applying four matches suspensions by which time the Patterson bandwagon was in full flow.
South African international star Bongani Zunga has returned to Amiens after failing to impress with two more Covidiots quietly being eased out the door.
Today, the Ibrox club website reported:
Daniel Finlayson, Nathan Young-Coombes, Jamie Barjonas, Zac Butterworth, Ciaran Dickson, Dapo Mebude, Matthew Shiels, Harris O’Connor, Brian Kinnear and Nicky Hogarth are all moving on, with Rangers providing extensive support to all players leaving the Academy programme.
Indeed, a number of those players have already secured their future clubs, with Finlayson joining St Mirren, Shiels Hamilton and Barjonas Kelty Hearts.
Head of Academy, Craig Mulholland, commented: “It is always a sad time of year when you see a number of young men, some of whom you have seen grow from being very young children, move onto the next step in their journey.”
Calvin Bassey remains at the club after being caught with Patterson, Gerrard feared that a suspension would harm the development of the outstanding young full-back but he was backed by the SFA and named in Steve Clarke’s international squad.
November Covidiots Jordan Jones and George Edmundson have returned to Ibrox from unsuccessful loan sells as Sunderland and Derby County.
