LOOKING AFTER NO.1
McCrorie is indebted to new Gers keeper Greegs but that won’t stop the youngster trying to claim the starting place in goal under the new Gerrard regime at Ibrox
ROBBY McCRORIE will always be grateful to Allan McGregor for gifting him a pair of his goalie gloves when he was a kid.
But that won’t stop the Rangers youngster trying to take the shirt off McGregor’s back at Ibrox.
The 20-year-old was delighted when new gaffer Steven Gerrard made the Scotland keeper one of his first major signings.
McGregor has returned to the club after six years away in England and will fight it out with Wes Foderingham for the No.1 jersey.
It was a dream come true for McCrorie, at just 14, to train with his idol back in 2012 – and McGregor helped him out with a new set of gloves.
But the goalie, who has been on loan at Berwick, has now set his sights on putting up a challenge to him at Ibrox.
McCrorie, who is part of the Scotland Under-21s side at the Toulon Tournament and excelled in their win over France, grew up marvelling at McGregor’s saves.
And although he accepts that he might need to go on loan again next season, with Ayr keen, the teenager ultimately wants to emulate his hero by becoming Rangers’ first-choice stopper.
McCrorie said: “I grew up as a Rangers fan so I watched Greegsy in his last spell at the club – which was a success to say the least.
“I was fortunate enough to train with him when I was 14, just before he left. You could see that he was a top keeper, both at club and international level.
“I actually trained with him a few times and because we were on astroturf my gloves were ruined.
“He just went back to his locker and gave me a pair of his which I wore in training. I think that says a lot, it sums him up really.
“He’s a level-headed guy yet some of the saves he was pulling off back then were just incredible.
“The one against Werder Bremen in the UEFA Cup is up there with one of the best you will see.
“And the penalty save from Georgios Samaras against Celtic was the turning point in Rangers winning the league in 2011.
“He’s a big-game goalie and you can only applaud what he has done.
“But now that he’s back at Rangers I want to compete with him.
“You could say I now want his place because the reason I’m playing football is to be No.1.
“It doesn’t matter what club you’re at, you want to be playing.
“That’s the mentality you must have, especially at Rangers because you have to be a winner there. Even though the keepers at the club are older than me I want to be just as good as them – in fact, better than them.
“I’ll learn a lot from training with them and I want to push them hard.
“I’ve still got those gloves he gave me back then – but I’m sure he’s got plenty!”
With the likes of Foderingham, Jak Alnwick and Liam Kelly at Gers last season, McCrorie got much-needed game time out on loan at Berwick.
He played the full campaign for the League Two side and deservedly won their Player of the Year award for his performances.
McCrorie insists he learned more in one campaign at senior level than he did in two years playing Under-20s development football at Ibrox.
And he believes the experience has made him a better player.
McCrorie said: “I went out on loan and had a good season. I learned a lot and it definitely toughened me up.
“Getting the award was a bonus but wee things like that are good in terms of my own targets.
“I wanted to go there and gain experience and I got 40-odd games under my belt. I’ve also been playing against men.
“In every game, if the ball’s on the halfway line it will get punted into the box and you’re just ready to get smashed by some big guy.
It doesn’t matter what club you are at, you want to be playing ROBBY McCRORIE
“But I feel I can handle myself now and I don’t mind that physical side of the game. It’s all part of my learning curve.
“In the last season I feel I’ve learned a lot more than I did in my two years at Under-20s. In development football
you want to win every game but it’s not for three points. It’s not a proper, competitive league.
“Being in a first-team environment has helped me. For every young player, going out on loan is the best thing you can do.
“Next season there’s a chance I’ll go out on loan again. It’s important to be playing games.
“I have options at a higher level but obviously we have a new manager at Rangers so I want to have a good pre-season first.
“The most important thing is for me to kick on and be even better than I was last season.” McCrorie eventually wants to emulate his brother Ross by being a mainstay of the Rangers first team.
He said: “Fair play to Ross, he has deserved it. You can see the progression in him since he went out on loan.
“I want to be out there on that pitch alongside him playing for Rangers. That would make the whole family proud.
“I don’t get nervous watching him because I know what he can do. I thrive off seeing him do well because he’s my brother.
“Ross was gutted when he got sent off against Celtic last season but he’ll learn from things like that and get better.”