The uncomfortable truth is the Academy, as it’s currently set up, doesn’t feel like it’s delivering what Rangers actually need. It’s not enough to say “we’ve got a youth system” if the end result is mostly boys leaving at 16 or drifting out for fees, while the first team still looks elsewhere.
That’s the bit that sticks in the throat. You can accept that not every prospect will make it at Ibrox, but there has to be a clear route where the very best see Rangers as the quickest way to senior football, not a stepping stone they have to escape from.
Why the best kids are heading down south
We’re seeing more 16-year-olds moving from Scotland to clubs in England for their first proper deal. Part of it is simply money and resources. If you’re a young player and someone down south is offering a bigger contract, better facilities, and a more obvious next step, it’s a hard sell to turn that down.
There’s also the structure. English clubs tend to have clearer staging posts: age-group football, then a recognised development team, then loans into a deep lower-league pyramid. Even if the first team is miles away, the player can still feel momentum, because there are more organised ways to get senior minutes without falling off the radar.
Rangers can’t wait for the SFA or rivals
If the wider Scottish game isn’t going to provide a supportive environment for development, Rangers have to be a bit ruthless about it. Waiting on other clubs or the SFA to create the perfect system is just another season of losing talent and shrugging our shoulders.
That’s why the idea of alternative routes, including B team football, keeps coming back. It’s not a magic fix, but it’s at least a practical attempt to bridge the gap between youth football and the demands of playing in front of a big crowd when points matter.
Fees are fine, but the first team is the point
Yes, selling youngsters for development fees can bring in money. It’s better than nothing. But Rangers aren’t a club that should be celebrating “good business” from the Academy while the first team remains dependent on external recruitment for almost every position.
If the Academy is going to justify its existence, it needs to produce players who can actually contribute at senior level, or at least be close enough that the club controls their development and value. Otherwise, what are we doing? There has to be a proper plan to keep our best kids, progress them, and make the pathway feel real, not theoretical.
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