Breaking News:Philippe Clement tells youngster EXACTLY what he wants to hear
It’s back-to-school week and for Robbie Fraser, it’s stirring memories of when he was the new kid in class.
It’s 14 years since the Rangers youngster rocked up at Ibrox to begin his footballing education. The Glasgow lad was barely out of short trousers when he signed up with his boyhood heroes aged just seven. The years since have involved a thorough examination, with Fraser forced to battle every step of the way against scores of other hopefuls all scraping to take his spot as they progressed up through the grades in Govan.
Fraser has outlasted them all and now 21, he’s finally graduated into Philippe Clement’s squad. But the Scotland Under-21 defender knows this is when the hard work really begins as he looks to pass his first-team test. He said: “Fourteen years is a crazy amount of time. I was seven years old when I first joined the club. It’s been a long time and I’ve been through everything at the club.
“I can actually remember my first day at the club. I used to be quite a nervous, shy boy coming in. I didn’t really take to being around the players that much, but I feel I’ve come out of my shell now. And now I want to kick on from here.
“The club runs through me, my family, everybody I know, it began where I grew up in my street. I had a season ticket when I was younger, so to be on the pitch makes it even sweeter with my family cheering me on in the stands as well. I’m at the top of the pile so to speak and hopefully I can stay here
“Not many people can take that journey away from me. I’ve worked incredibly hard every day, working on my craft. To say I’m a Rangers first team player makes me so proud. There’s several coaches who have been a big influence on me, too many to name through the years. But Brian Gilmore, who is in the first team now, is one.
“He worked in the academy. So for him to come up and for me to come up with him, it’s really nice to have that relationship. There’s loads of coaches, Cal MacMaster in the gym, David McCallum, Malky Thompson and when I was younger, Greg Statt and guys like that. So there’s been loads of top coaches.
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