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Glasgow Times
07-07-2025
- Sport
- Glasgow Times
Rangers add pre-season friendly match to the schedule
The English National League club announced the addition of the match against a Rangers XI to their pre-season schedule. The game at Victoria Park will kick off at 3pm. Rangers are unlikely to send first-team players due to the first leg against Panathinaikos the following Tuesday. Read more: Therefore, only players lower down the pecking order and youngsters will feature at Hartlepool. Tickets and hospitality packages are available to purchase from the Monkey Hangers' website. Hartlepool ended 12th in the National League last season.
The National
07-07-2025
- Sport
- The National
Rangers to face English side in friendly as details released
The English National League side this evening confirmed the addition of a match against a Gers XI to to their pre-season schedule. Pools will host the game at Victoria Park and it will have a 3pm kick-off. Rangers are unlikely to send many if any first-team squad members given the close proximity to the first leg against Panathinaikos on the following Tuesday. Read more: Only those well down the pecking order are likely to feature alongside the club's youngsters at Hartlepool. Tickets are available to buy via the Monkey Hangers' website and there are also hospitality packages. Hartlepool finished 12th in the National League last season having been relegated from the EFL at the end of the 2022/23 campaign.
Press and Journal
19-06-2025
- Sport
- Press and Journal
Ross County sign versatile ex-Sunderland defender as Steven Ferguson delivers update on Ronan Hale's future
Ross County's summer recruitment continues with the signing of versatile defender Ben Crompton. After leaving Premier League newcomers Sunderland, the 21-year-old has agreed to head to County on a pre-contract agreement, two-year deal. Crompton, who has experience playing right-back and centre back, never made a first-team appearance for the Black Cats but played 25 times for English National League side Tamworth last term. County manager Don Cowie explained why Crompton, who joins the club on July 1, fits the bill. He said: 'We are really happy Ben has chosen to join us. He had a really productive loan spell with Tamworth last season. He offers strong ability on the ball, as well as an imposing physical presence.' Crompton will join fellow defender Declan Gallacher, midfielder Ross Docherty and winger Gary Mackay-Steven as the new arrivals in Dingwall following the club's relegation from the Premiership last month. County, meanwhile, expect striker Ronan Hale to lead the line and fire the club back to the Premiership next season. The 26-year-old joined County on a three-year contract last summer when he moved to the Dingwall club from part-time NIFL Premiership side Cliftonville. Hale, who made his full Northern Ireland debut last week, has been linked to clubs around the country on the back of scoring 18 goals in all competitions in his debut term with the Highlanders. When asked about his club future last week, Hale said: 'I'm not sure at the moment. 'Obviously, we had a disappointing end to the season by being relegated, but it's one we need to look at and see what's best for my career.' County were relegated to the Championship after losing to the Premiership play-off final to Livingston last month. However, there is no question in County chief executive Steven Ferguson's mind that Hale will be checking into the Global Energy Stadium with the rest of his team-mates on Monday. He said: 'We encourage players wanting to improve themselves, but Ronan is under contract, and he will be reporting for pre-season training as part of the group that is going to try and win the Championship. 'The challenge for last season was that we lost Jack Baldwin, Yan Dhanda and Simon Murray and, with 10 games to go we thought we had achieved a good season, despite that. 'We are consistently the youngest team in the Premiership, and a lot of that is down to who we can recruit to the Highlands. 'We identified that, after another discussion between the chairman and I, we needed experienced knowledge alongside these talented youngsters. 'Noah Chilvers is 24 and Ronan Hale is 26, so we are getting guys that we believe are in their prime. 'That was part of the reason we brought these guys in on longer-term contracts, because we have seen them as part of the longer journey. 'That's still there, but there has been another path added which is this one year where we are fully focused on winning the Championship. 'I wouldn't be surprised if there is interest in more of our players, but the way that we do our business is that these players are under contract with us, and we look after our players. 'We'll give these players the opportunity to perform on a Saturday.' Ferguson explained that losing Simon Murray to Dundee last summer led to Hale becoming their number one target. County are going all out to win the Championship within one year and the feeling is it will take plenty of cash for any move to even be entertained, as Hale is too important within the team. He said: 'We invested in Ronan as a replacement for Simon Murray, and this is one of the things I was speaking about before where a lot of good things happened last year. 'Simon left having scored 20 (league) goals, and we got a good return on investment for the gamble we took two years ago. 'To get that was acceptable, and we wished Simon well when he went, but we had to replace him. 'Ronan Hale was earmarked as that person, and if you were to tell me that he would end up with 17 goals in his first season in the Premiership, I would have bitten both of your hands off. 'That was a good piece of business. (Chief scout) Greg Strong was involved in that, the manager was involved, and the chairman and I were both involved, so that was a real plus. 'Getting 17 goals in a team that was struggling to score was huge. He's just had a cap for Northern Ireland, so that raises his profile, but he's on a long-term contract to be a Ross County player.' Ferguson, who along with Stuart Kettlewell took County back to the Premiership in 2018-19 as co-managers, detailed how the squad is in healthy shape after eight players, excluding loanees, had moved on. He added: 'It's not just Ronan Hale who is still in contract – Akil Wright, Noah Chilvers, our two goalkeepers (Ross Laidlaw and Jordan Amissah) are too. 'I think we've got two Premiership goalkeepers, so that position is well and truly nailed down. 'George Harmon has played 100 Premiership games, Connor Randall has played over 250 career league games, we've got Eamonn Brophy coming back, Jordan White, Kieran Phillips who we chased for a long time – all of these guys are still under contract and hungry to play. 'Jay Henderson was nominated for player of the year in the Championship last season. We believed that him going and playing 40 games in the Championship would mean we had a more complete player next year. 'We thought we would be in the Premiership, and we're not, but the way his contract was structured he's still here and he will be with us in the Championship. 'We were after six signings, and we've got three over the line quickly, and we're hoping another three will follow to complement the players we have. 'That's not forgetting Andrew MacLeod and George Robesten, as academy graduates, who made inroads last year and played in Premiership games.'
Yahoo
13-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
The 3 goalkeeping options facing Rangers as Russell Martin can stick, twist or clear the decks
New Rangers boss Russell Martin's to-do list is as long as his arm. And when it comes to overhauling his squad - one of his first big decisions will be on who's best at using their hands. Martin is already starting to assess players who are already on the books at Ibrox. Advertisement READ MORE: Nico Raskin earns swooning review as Rangers mate showered in love amid £5m transfer exit push READ MORE: Rangers announce pre season friendly against English National League side And when any new gaffer takes over a team, they invariably start at the back. There are very few successful sides who don't have a top shotstopper as their number one. And this summer at Rangers, it's definitely up for debate as to who will fill that jersey. The pool of players at Ibrox needs revamped after yet another dismal campaign where they played second fiddle to Old Firm rivals Celtic. Martin will want a new centre-back, a central midfielder, a full-back, a winger and a striker. Advertisement That will be the MINIMUM requirement. But before all of that, they'll have to make a choice when it comes to their keeper. And there will be three options available to him. Here, Record Sport examines each of them. 1. Keep Jack Butland as number one The very thought of the Englishman NOT being between the sticks for Rangers a year ago would have sent a shiver down the spine of supporters. But after a campaign littered with individual errors, it's a genuine question as to whether he starts under a new gaffer as first-choice. Butland was a revelation when he arrived in Glasgow. In Clement's first season, when Rangers were top of the Premiership and challenging for the title, he was the best keeper in the country. Advertisement Butland looked like a ready-made Rangers player, on and off the pitch. Rangers keeper Jack Butland Supporters chanted his name every week and he won all of the club's Player of the Year awards. Fans were actually fearing a monster bid of more than £10million might result in them losing him to the Premier League. But the 32-year-old dropped his level this term and it cost his side goals. High-profile mistakes in games against Motherwell, St Mirren, Dundee and Hibs contributed to Rangers dropping points - and ultimately failing to put up a serious fight against Celtic. Butland was eventually dropped by interim gaffer Barry Ferguson for a vital Europa League tie against Athletic Bilbao - despite his penalty shoot-out heroics in the previous round against Fenerbahce. Advertisement Liam Kelly was brought in and didn't let the side down. Butland's deputy provided a safe pair of hands when Rangers needed it. But he was reinstated by Ferguson for the last two games of the campaign and it looked like his confidence was back. The big question is though, will he still be in command of the position when a new gaffer is appointed? 2: Make Liam Kelly number one At 29 years old, Kelly is approaching the peak years of his career where he should be vying to be first-pick for club and country. He had to be patient at Rangers after making his return to Ibrox last summer, as understudy to Butland. Advertisement The move might even have cost him a Scotland spot as, having switched from being Motherwell's number one, he was only a Gers' back-up. But Kelly finally got his chance last season after a series of Butland mistakes led to Rangers losing goals. When Kelly was brought in by Ferguson to face Bilbao, he performed superbly, saving a penalty from the Spaniards which kept Gers in the game. Rangers' Liam Kelly He also looked steady in the Premiership towards the end of the season, especially against Celtic at Ibrox where he made important stops in a 1-1 draw. Kelly - who is an outstanding shot-stopper - has never let anyone down in a Rangers shirt. Advertisement He's terrific - probably more adept than Butland - with the ball at his feet, which might be crucial to an Ancelotti or Martin coming in as gaffer. He only has a year left on his contract and will already be thinking about his future. For the sake of his career, he has to play first-team games but if Butland remains at Gers, he faces another season on the sidelines. If not? He might just get the shot he craves as the club's undisputed number one. 3: Sign a new Rangers number one It will be up to Butland and Kelly to make an impact in front of their new manager when pre-season starts on June 23. But the danger for both men is that a gaffer, with fresh ideas and cash to spend, might want to bring in his own keeper. Advertisement Martin might like specific attributes in a goalie that he feels Butland and Kelly lack. If that's the case, it's a problem for Rangers because what do they do with the two shotstoppers who are already there? Butland is an established member of the squad and one of the Ibrox high earners. He's captained the club and is part of their dressing-room leadership group. He also has two years left on his contract so he'd be an expensive sub if he's left kicking his heels on the bench. Angus Gunn Rangers would need to look to sell Butland if he's not going to be number one. But after a well below-par season, that might not be easy. Advertisement Kelly only has 12 months left to run on his deal but if he's kept on, he could potentially be THIRD choice if a new man comes in. If that happens, speculation will begin around potential targets. If it's experience they're after, could they tempt Martin Dubravka to Ibrox from Newcastle? Oh, or Asmir Begovic has just been released by Everton. Or Jason Steele from Brighton? Whatever happens, the new manager will have huge decisions to make - and choosing a goalkeeper will be one of them.
