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Daily Record
Daily Record
Sport
Mark Pirie

Josh McPake in Rangers future update as loanee makes 'close eye' claim after Wembley heroics

Loanee Josh McPake revealed Rangers have been keeping as he targets first-team football on his Ibrox return.

The winger has spent the second half of the season with Harrogate in England's League Two and capped off the campaign with an FA Trophy win at Wembley.

After lifting his first piece of senior silverware the 19-year-old is now hoping to break into Steven Gerrard' s first-team plans.

He hopes sit down with the gaffer on his return as he looks to play his part in the Premiership title defence.

He told the PA news agency: "At 19, on a six-month loan, to get to a cup final at Wembley was unbelievable. If you told me that at the start of the year, I would have taken it all day.

"The experience, the build-up, the game and afterwards - I'll remember it for the rest of my career.

"I feel I'm twice the player I was. Going on loan is so valuable. I was 17 when I first went out so I was pretty young.

"Most boys in England don't go out until 19 or 20 so I realised how important it was to go, learn, have disappointments, have setbacks but see the highs.

"Playing first-team football is the most important thing you can do. The best thing I've done is get away.

"As good as academy football is for your development, by a certain age you need a certain amount of experience because that's what managers look for, they want to trust you."

"I've got a year left on my contract at Rangers and coming down to England has been a great experience but also exposed me to a new market as clubs are always watching the games in League Two.

"Rangers have kept a close eye on me and I really appreciate it.

"It's good to know they are still looking after me so I will be back in for pre-season and I'm sure we will have some conversations about the future. They've told me to keep doing what I'm doing."

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