DORRANS LIVING DREAM AT GERS
Fitz: I knew Graham had desire to play for Gers when I drove him to training at Almondvale as a kid TONY HAILS GOAL HERO
TONY FITZPATRICK knew it was Graham Dorrans’s driving ambition to pull on a Rangers shirt ever since he ferried him to Livingston training as a kid. And the ex-Almondvale director of youth is convinced the 30-year-old midfielder can get the Light Blues motoring again after fulfilling his dream. Badge kissing from footballers is often insincere but when the 61-year-old watched Dorrans clutch the Gers crest after his twogoal show against Motherwell on Sunday he knew it was genuine. Dorrans told how it had been a dream since childhood to score for Rangers after his competitive debut ended in a 2-1 Fir Park win. Nobody knows that better than St Mirren chief executive Fitzpatrick who chauffeured the midfielder from Glasgow to West Lothian along with West Ham wideman Robert Snodgrass. The former Buddies skipper and boss said: “I was director of youth at Livingston and our Glasgow-based scout Willie Melville brought Graham to the club along with Robert. The two of them come from the east end of Glasgow and I used to pick them up on Duke Street and take them to Livingston for training.
“I always ask players what their ambitions are. They would say their first ambition was to get in the Livingston first team but if they were happy at that then that’s not ambition.
“Graham did say even at that early age he’d love to play for Rangers and that was always his goal.
“It has been a long journey via the English Premier League but he’s got there and I’m absolutely delighted for him.
“When I watched him score my mind drifted back to those car journeys when he spoke of his dream to play for Rangers.
“Rangers and Celtic have bought so many foreign players over the years but it’s great to see when a genuine fan fulfils a dream like that. A lot of the time you see guys kissing the jersey but for
Graham it meant everything to him. It was real joy on his face that he is where he wants to be in life.
“Graham had those dreams from an early age to play for Rangers and it’s wonderful when you see it come true.
“That’s what we say to kids – ‘dreams do come true’. And he is proof of that. It was a great feeling to see him score those goals.
“Graham will be a tremendous player for Rangers. He’s a top player and I’m delighted to see him fulfil his ambition.
“Thousands of kids have that dream but it’s all about taking the action and Graham had that in his mind early.
“Livingston were a stepping stone and that’s what we’ve got to do. The dream might be to play for Rangers, Celtic, Manchester United or whoever.
“It’s fine having those dreams but it’s about the hard work in between that. Graham had the ability of course but he had the desire as well. He had to do a lot of harder work because he was small and frail but he took a wee stretch and went away and worked to get his dream.
“It has been a long journey but he got there and you could see that in his face when he scored those goals.
“It’s the same as when Snoddy got his big move to West Ham. I played a very small part in their development but you do remember when they were kids in the back of your motor.”
Even then Fitzpatrick knew the Scots pair were destined for bigger things with both earning moves down south after breaking through at Almondvale.
But he revealed Dorrans, who arrived at Rangers via spells with West Brom and Norwich, was a completely different character to Snodgrass – and it wasn’t only down to the teams they supported. Fitzpatrick said: “You could tell they had the mindset to be footballers.
“I knew Graham was a big Rangers fan and Snoddy Celtic! Graham was Rangers mad but they were great together.
“The main thing for them was to get into the Livingston first team and before I left I put them on contracts.
“I knew that barring injury Graham would be a top-class player and the same for Robert.
“I meet up with Snoddy more. I haven’t seen Graham in a while but when I look at him now with a family and see him playing for Rangers – the club he wanted to play for – it’s a great feeling.
“Graham was very deep and quiet. Snoddy was a bit more extrovert and full of fun while Graham was very focused.
“But there was a determination there and I had no doubt he would make it along with Snodgrass and James McCarthy who we had at the time.
“Snoddy and Dorrans as kids were phenomenal together.
“There was an almost telepathic understanding between them.
“They just missed each other at Norwich because I remember thinking if they could have been paired together it would’ve been an excellent partnership for someone. Graham was smaller and thinner in those days but you could see he had real qualities and a mental toughness.
“And that has taken him to where he always wanted to be.”
A lot of the time you see guys kissing the jersey but for him it meant everything TONY FITZPATRICK