I’LL DO GERS A RIGHT TURN
ROSS COUNTY v RANGERS
GREG DOCHERTY has driven past Murray Park on his way to training for 14 years.
First as a passenger then behind the wheel, the Auchenhowie Training Centre was just an image out of the window.
Yesterday for the first time he didn’t go past. He got to touch the brakes, hit the indicator and turn off through those blue metal gates.
He parked up and realised it was a very real working place.
Milngavie-based Docherty has finally reached his dream destination just down the road from his house.
At the age of 21 the £680,000 signing from Hamilton had his career mapped through Lanarkshire on a pathway to Ibrox.
Speaking to Docherty this seems more than just a pit stop.
With a family steeped in Rangers the boyhood fan isn’t interested in further travel. Only clicking into top gear in Light Blue.
Docherty sat proudly in his Rangers training kit having stopped off and said: “The indicator came on and that was a nice feeling.
“I had been waiting to do that for a long time.
“It is massive, of course, because my family are all fans. It means a great deal for me to be here and to them as well.
“But I am here because it is the perfect platform for me to go and develop regardless of the fact I support the club.
“The decision was purely made for footballing reasons and it is the right place for me to kick on.
“The facilities are really good, training was of a really good standard and the boys have been great with me.
“I want to hit the ground running. You don’t have time to get yourself bedded in at Rangers.
“You need to go straight away and I am prepared to do that.”
Docherty seems mature for his tender years both in his play and his off-field demeanour.
Taking time to thank Accies for their key role in his development within minutes of penning an Ibrox contract displayed a class which he’ll hope to replicate when he gets going on the park.
Docherty thought nothing of it. Along with his parents, Hamilton coaches such as Frankie McAvoy and George Cairns kept him on the correct path when a hot-headed playing nature as a kid almost led him to chuck the game.
The midfielder won’t forget such grounding and said: “I will never forget my roots. It’s a tough school but a good school, they bring you up right. They allow you to play football, they give you a chance, they allow you to develop and I would never be sitting here if it wasn’t for them.
“I will be eternally grateful. They had a few strong words and a couple of times I thought about chucking in the towel.
“George still looks after me. He looked after me right up until I left Hamilton. He was the man I would go to for guidance. Frankie as well.
“He texted me when the move went through to say well done. But like I say that comes down to my parents sitting me down and saying, ‘Look, there’s a bigger picture here. It’s going to be tough’.
“Mentally I feel as if I’m prepared to take the next step at Rangers.
“Hamilton’s motto is to produce players and for me that’s another reason why it was time to move.
“They have a really good crop of boys there, the squad is talented.
“I’m sad I won’t be there anymore but it was time for me to move on.”
Docherty got an instant introduction to Rangers. A shuddering challenge from Jordan Rossiter within moments of his first session laid down the law.
He said: “Yeah it was a welcome to Rangers tackle. I’m not used to sliding tackles in training because of training on the astroturf !
“I have to up my reaction speed a wee bit! It was a great tackle.”
But the midfield ace didn’t need Rossiter at his ankles to know the necessary standards demanded each day.
Growing up as a fan he knows what’s required and believes a core of players just like him now at Ibrox can be a catalyst for better times
ahead. Docherty said: “I looked up to the 2008 UEFA Cup team.
“I was at the Final. That was an experience. I was just a young boy at the time but even then I knew that was where I wanted to be.
“I wanted to be leading Rangers out to stages like that.
“Now I am here, I am in the door, it is down to me to work hard.
“I have been reading the gaffer’s comments of late and speaking to Mark Allen, there is a plan here.
“I was desperate to be part of that plan. I’m a fan but on the football side Rangers are on the up and I want to be part of that.
“There is already a good bunch of Scottish boys here which is also very important.
“They know the ins and outs of the club but even from day one, I can see the guys know everything that Rangers is about.
“I’m a supporter but I have seen that side of it and now I have the chance to help them do well.
“Obviously, silverware is important. At Rangers you need to win silverware.
“But at the moment the manager has been saying you take each game as it comes.
“The team is doing well just now. It’s going to be difficult to get in the team but that’s exciting.”