Wishaw Press

Celtic-daft Jack joins Rangers

- PAUL THOMSON

Celtic-daft footballer Jack Reid has crossed the Old Firm divide to sign a youth contract with Glasgow rivals Rangers.

And his proud dad David is happy to put the rivalry to one side in the hope of seeing his boy take the Ibrox side by storm.

The seven-year-old, whose favourite Hoops player is Japanese midfielder Kyogo Furuhashi, wowed scouts while playing for local sideWishaw­WycombeWan­derers and signed for the Govan club on May 29 after a successful trial.

Jack, from Pather, has been brought up a Celtic fan, attending his first game when he was just 10 months old in 2015.

But he will pull on the light blue jersey for the first time on July 25 when he joins up with his new team-mates.

Dad David said:“It’s funny because all our family are Celtic fanatics; his grandpa, his uncle Scott.

“We’ve all got season tickets and things like that - Jack’s been going with me to games since he was a baby!

“But all the family just love the beautiful game and we’d never stand in his way to do well. His mum Melissa and I are so proud.The family will put the rivalry to one side and just let him get on with his football.

“There was no second thoughts or anything and I’d never stand in my son’s way.

“Rangers wouldn’t have been my first choice, but maybe one day him doing well can lead to him playing for Celtic in the future – I’d be quite happy with that!”

David added:“He was playing forWishaw WycombeWan­derers and he was scouted down at Ravenscrai­g by Ross Cochrane.

“He said he thought Jack was a very gifted

left-sided player and asked how we’d feel about him coming to Glasgow Rangers?

”I was like: Eh, okay. And we had a laugh about it. But he went for a trial with Rangers and they took him on after that.

He’s worked really hard and I’m so proud of him.”

Jack waswithWis­hawWycombe for the past three years and the Berryhill Primary School pupil plays the game morning, noon and night.

David added:“He just loves the game so much. I think Jack would play for anybody. He just loves having a ball at his feet and trying to get him in at night is some effort.

“If he’s not training withWishaw or Rangers, he’ll be out playing with his pals at night in Pather.

“It’s like pulling teeth trying to get him in and sometimes you need to chase him! He’s never got a ball away from his feet.

“We are looking forward to seeing how his game develops, but he wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for his coaches atWishaw – CraigYoung, Scott Barr, Gary Hattie and Peter Naughton.”

 ?? ?? Baby love A 10-month-old Jack at his first Celtic game with dad David in 2015
Baby love A 10-month-old Jack at his first Celtic game with dad David in 2015

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