Mclaughlin has swopped two men and a

Alfredo Morelos was back in the Rangers squad at Hamilton yesterday, following his public dressing down from Steven Gerrard. But he wasn’t called off the substitutes bench – which obviously pleased him!

Jon Mclaughlin hopes for a successful future by never forgetting his past.

The Rangers goalkeeper started his football career on pitches where it was free to spectate – but nobody wanted to watch!

He’s now playing in empty stadiums again during a time when people are desperate to see his performances.

The Covid-19 pandemic means fans can only get glimpses of him making saves for Rangers and Scotland on their television screens.

Hopefully it won’t be too much longer before men like Mclaughlin are again experiencing the roar of a crowd.

The 32-year-old has taken a long and twisting road to reach the very top.

He was studying sports coaching at Leeds Metropolitan University when he first went between the posts.

He said: “At Harrogate Railway, you were talking about pitches that were just open to anyone who wanted to walk in – but nobody did want to walk in, unfortunately.

“It’s was a couple of men and a dog watching games.

“It is the polar opposite to what

I’m doing now – going out at Ibrox, Hampden and other stadiums.

“It’s great to be where I am now, and hopefully it means I’ll never take that for granted.

“I always understand where I’ve come from, how long it has taken and how quickly it could all go away.

“It definitely wasn’t a grand plan. “I certainly didn’t envisage that 10 to 12 years down the line I would have a couple of international appearances for Scotland and be playing my football for a massive club like this.

“It definitely gives me motivation every day to keep up my standards, and hopefully that means the career can continue at this level.”

Mclaughlin moved on to Harrogate Town – who recently won promotion to the Football League– before a Rangers legend took him into the professional ranks.