PLAY AS YOU GO DEAL
Ross: I had to quit Ibrox to get games
ROSS McCRORIE insists he had to leave Rangers for the good of his career.
The Scotland Under-21 captain penned a season-long loan with Aberdeen, who will make the move permanent at the end of the campaign.
Hibs looked favourites to land McCrorie after returning with an improved bid for the 22-yearold last week, but the Dons swooped in to steal him from under their noses on Monday.
After eight years at his boyhood heroes and making a big impact when he broke into the side, McCrorie found himself too far down the Ibrox pecking order for his liking, and made it clear he wanted to leave to get game time.
McCrorie spent last season on loan at Portsmouth and despite Rangers boss Steven Gerrard initially ruling out another loan, a compromise was reached with Derek McInnes’ Dons.
The move will be made permanent next summer and McCrorie said: “I just want to be playing regular first-team football, that’s why I told Rangers I wanted to leave. It’s for the good of my career, to develop as a player.
“I feel Aberdeen is the right place for me to improve. It is a massive club, so I was flattered they were interested in me.
“I spoke to the gaffer and when he explained about the ambition here, that made it a no-brainer.
“I’m really happy I’ll join on a permanent deal after this season.
“Everything the gaffer said was right for me and I felt immediately as if this was the place for me to come and move my game on.
“I can play a few different positions, but I am more or less a central midfielder.
“Last season at Portsmouth I played right-back but at Rangers, over the last couple of seasons I played in centre midfield.
“Being able to play a few different positions can help out the team and the gaffer and it gives him a few different options.”
Having failed to get his hands on any silverware with the club he’s supported all his days, McCrorie hopes to put that right under McInnes.
He added: “I have been used to playing under the pressure and expectations of supporters and I think I thrive on it.
“The expectation is really high here, you are expected to be up there challenging. I want to help the team out as best as I can and win a few trophies on the way.”
McCrorie is available for tomorrow’s trip to St Johnstone – but it is Sunday’s Pittodrie clash with Livingston and twin brother Robby which is already jumping off the fixture list.
He said: “I don’t think we have ever played against each other at any level as we have always grown up together in the same team, so if we both play on Sunday, it could be the first time.”