Bates beaming as his Rangers dream comes true after fearing it was gone forever

WHEN some surprise transfer interest presented itself to David Bates last February, the Raith Rovers defender was in no condition to jump at the chance. That did not stop him trying and making matters a great deal worse.

A calf injury turned into a ten centimetre blood clot that ultimately ended his season. Bates feared that an amazing opportunity to sign for Rangers had been torn by injury. Thankfully, the impression he made on David Weir was a lasting one.

Bates is able to reflect on the dramas of last year with great relief because, on Wednesday night at Kilmarnock, he contributed to a clean sheet on a shock first-team debut for his boyhood club under new manager Pedro Caixinha.

All this two years on from spending half a season on loan in the basement of League Two with East Stirlingshire.

The 20-year-old, thrust into the heart of the Rangers defence amid an injury crisis, now has the prospect of big dates at Pittodrie and Hampden on the horizon.

‘If you asked me two years ago if I would be out at Rugby Park playing for Rangers, I would just have laughed at you,’ said Bates.

‘I was on loan to East Stirlingshire, out to Brechin and played at Raith. Luckily enough, I’m now playing for Rangers.

‘It was early last February when I played against Rangers on a Tuesday night. Then I got hurt in our next game against Falkirk on a Saturday. It was on the Monday when the call came from the gaffer, Ray McKinnon, to say that Rangers had been on the phone!

‘The injury was a dead calf but it turned into a haematoma, a blood clot-type thing. I was on crutches. It was a nightmare. When that call came in, I tried to get myself out running, went for a jog and I think I made it worse.

‘I got near enough the end of the season and was still out and knew it wasn’t going to happen then. Luckily enough, Rangers came back in at the start of the season.’

His sound display, at right-back, against Rangers in a 1-0 win for Mark Warburton’s side at Stark’s Park had left its positive mark.

Just two months earlier, he had lost the final game of his Brechin City loan spell at home to Stenhousemuir in a League One game, but Bates was identified as built for bigger things by Warburton’s assistant.

‘When Gary Locke took over at Raith at the start of the season, he told me that Davie Weir was an admirer,’ said Bates. ‘Obviously, with him being a defender himself, that was a really good thing to hear. It gives you such a confidence boost.

‘I played right-back against Rangers that night but centre-half is probably my main position. It was initially a development loan to Rangers then I signed permanently and it was only a few weeks later that Mark Warburton and Davie left.

‘Davie was always talking me through things in training. I’m still in touch with him. He’s sent me a couple of texts to say well done and things like that.’

Injuries to Rob Kiernan, Lee Wallace, Clint Hill, Lee Hodson and Philippe Senderos suddenly promoted Bates to prominence as Rangers scrap to stay in contention for second place with Aberdeen, who they face today at Pittodrie.

There was considerable surprise on Tuesday when Caixinha named his starting line-up for the midweek trip to Kilmarnock. The shock for Bates, 24 hours earlier, at least allowed his family to plan for supporting their boy as he helped a makeshift side claim a point.

‘I’m a Rangers fan, so this was a dream of mine,’ said Bates (pictured with Kris Boyd). ‘My dad was buzzing that Rangers were interested in me and he was saying last year that I needed to get fit.

‘When I told him I was playing through the week, he said he was working late and up early in the morning. But 15

minutes later Mum phoned me to say: “Of course we’re coming”.

‘So they managed to sort that out and they and my girlfriend came to watch me, which was great.’