STEVIE GEE-UP

As a midfield player who was renowned for grabbing a game by the scruff of the neck and turning the tide in his team’s favour, Steven Gerrard would surely have approved of Ross Mccrorie’s contribution as Rangers came from behind to claim a 1-1 draw at Pittodrie on Tuesday night.

As the incoming Rangers manager assesses which members of the current squad will make the cut in his new era at Ibrox, Mccrorie certainly did himself no harm with an influential performance which drew warm praise from both his current caretaker boss Jimmy Nicholl and Aberdeen manager Derek Mcinnes.

In a largely dismal season for Rangers, the emergence of 20-year-old Mccrorie has been a ray of light for their supporters.

While several of his firstteam outings have been in central defence, it is in a midfield role where Mccrorie has really caught the eye. He did so again at Pittodrie where he was the driving force for Rangers in a second half which saw him score the goal which cancelled out Kenny Mclean’s early penalty kick for the Dons.

The personable youngster is understandably enthusias-

0 Rangers midfielder Ross Mccrorie, right, battles with Kenny Mclean of Aberdeen during the 1-1 draw between the sides at Pittodrie.

ROSS MCCRORIE tic about the prospect of continuing his development next season under the guidance of Gerrard.

“I have played centre midfield for the last two games and hopefully I have done a good job for the team and impressed him,” said Mccrorie.

“Because he played in midfield, he can pass on his experiences to me and help my game. But I will play wherever he wants me to play and see what happens.

“It is a motivation for everyone to show the new manager coming in that they are worthy of a place in the team next season. But it is Rangers Football Club and everyone should be motivated to go into every game and win, regardless.”

Mccrorie’s celebrations of his goal on Tuesday night were emotionally charged as he dedicated it to his seriously ill grandmother, a woman who has been one of his most significant influences as he has worked his way through the youth system at Rangers.

“When I was younger, I used to go to my gran’s every day before training and get my lunch,” said Mccrorie. “She has been a huge encouragement in my life.

“So the goal was for my gran.

“Because he played in midfield, he can pass on his experiences to me and help my game”