Former Rangers reserve team captain Max Ashmore has paid tribute to the club after he earned a key role within their academy.
The 21-year-old's Ibrox playing career came to an end three years ago but he has now returned as a children’s academy and scouting assistant.
Ashmore - who spent time in America with Ventura County - is determined to make the most of his big opportunity at Auchenhowie.
He is full of praise for the likes of sporting director Ross Wilson, reserve boss Graeme Murty and head of youth Craig Mulholland and their ambitions for the future.
Mulholland has been lauded for his inventive approach at youth level with his decision to enrol the Rangers academy side in the European games programme earning widespread praise
And Ashmore, who had brief spells with Montrose and Stirling Albion, has been blown away by the major coaching and scouting groundwork that has been put in place during his absence.
Speaking to Rangers' official website, he said: "Around this time last year I was playing in America and Craig phoned me and made me an offer that I couldn’t refuse.
“To be given the opportunity to return to a club like Rangers, having been here for so long as an academy player, was great for me and a no-brainer to accept.
“My main role is in academy scouting. David Stevenson is my line manager and I try to assist him as best I can. He has been fantastic for me to learn and develop under.
“We work with the club’s scouting network to try and get the best players from around Scotland at under 11s to under 16s, right up to the 18s and Reserves. We also look at cross-border players at older age groups and players around Europe.
“I’ve also been doing a bit of coaching and I am learning from guys like Graeme Murty and Alan Boyd and Greg Statt – who were my coaches when I was younger.
“I’m trying to learn as much as I can from all the different academy departments and I’m enjoying seeing how it all works.
“In a recent webinar, sporting director Ross Wilson said the best thing to do is to try and learn all aspects of a club. Learn everything you can. That’s what he did at Falkirk and he knows how a football club works.
“I am enjoying the free role the club has given me at the moment but my main focus at the moment is academy scouting.
“The club has come on so much since I left. Things were improving before I moved on and Graeme Murty was a huge influence on me and he really improved me as a player.
“Craig’s long-term academy plan was also just starting with things like the European Games Programme which has been massive for the players and staff.
“It’s like night and day coming back now as the academy has come on so much in the three years I have been away."
