Robby McCrorie is approaching a crucial juncture in his career. Thankfully for the Rangers goalkeeper, he has the perfect example to follow as he plots out his next steps.
It will be a summer of change in Govan as Michael Beale overhauls his playing squad, and McCrorie senses an opportunity. With Allan McGregor hanging up his gloves and Jon McLaughlin seemingly slipping down the pecking order, there is an opportunity for the 25-year-old to stake a claim for the No.1 jersey.
The academy graduate knows that another keeper will be brought in this summer but competing with the new man for a spot in the starting XI is a challenge he is relishing.
McCrorie’s situation is not so different to the one McGregor found himself in when he first broke into the starting line-up at Rangers in 2007. Then, the future Scotland internationalist elbowed his way past Lionel Letizi, a new goalkeeper signed in the summer, and nailed down to the starting spot for years to come.
McCrorie has certainly learned a lot from the current Ibrox No.1 – now it is down to the shot-stopper to put that knowledge into practice.
“You look at Greegsy and some of the big saves and big moments that he’s had for the club,” McCrorie said. “His legacy will carry on.
“I feel that I’ve learned from the best and it’s now important for me to be the best version of myself. What Allan has done is just him. I need to just try to be the best I can be.
“[Fending off competition] is just part and parcel of being at Rangers. There’s going to be a big overhaul in the summer and it’s just the way it is.
“Competition is good. The club wants to win trophies so that’s what you need. I don’t think you can fear that, you have to rise to it.”
McCrorie’s brother Ross had to leave Ibrox in search of first-team football but the goalkeeper has never seriously entertained thoughts of moving on elsewhere. There have been loan spells as McCrorie as patiently bided his time and now he is edging ever closer to fulfilling his lifelong dream of following in McGregor’s footsteps and becoming Rangers’ No.1.
“For me who’s been at the club for so long it was just a lifelong ambition,” he explained. “It felt like that was just the natural thing coming through the system to want to be playing every week at the club.
“And then when you get older, there’s no denying it’s in your thoughts as he was the last one who came through and established himself and had the career he’s had. So it was always the question of who was going to be next. For me that was always a big driving point as well as other factors.
“For me it’s always about staying in the present. I’ve been so concentrated on the games recently and then this one. Just focusing on them.
“I do want to be playing every week. I do feel that I’m at an age where I should be doing that. I’ve not played for a while so this is an opportunity for me to really do that.”
He added: “It was just a belief I had [that made me want to stay]. I felt inside me that it just had to happen.
“There were wee doubts along the way as you thought something was going to happen and then it ended up not. So it’s about having that determination.
“I truly believe that if you work hard enough stuff does come your way. I’ve tried to work as hard as I can every day. That way there can be no excuses.”
That work ethic is a quality of McGregor’s that McCrorie is keen to emulate. The latter is famously the first player into the building at the Rangers Training Centre in the morning and the last to leave, and McCrorie is not shy of a hard graft, either.
“You have that in-built in you,” McCrorie said. “I’ve always had that just because of the way my parents brought me up.
“I’ve always had that work ethic the same as Allan. I actually enjoy being in before others. It’s quite nice having that quietness just to do your work! But there’s no denying if you don’t do that hard work it would be a lot more difficult to get where you want to be.”
Chats with Beale, too, have convinced McCrorie he has a long-term future at Ibrox. He feels he has the implicit trust of the manager and knew that he would eventually get his chance. The rest, as McCrorie knows all too well, will be down to him.
“When he came in he said he would give me an opportunity,” McCrorie recalled. “And being honest we’ve not needed to speak too much recently.
“There’s been a trust there. I try to prepare every day as if I was playing regardless. He’s just let me do that. I know what’s required.
“The most important thing for us is just to win games. There’s nothing else that really matters. There were never any promises. I just knew an opportunity would come. And then it’s up to you to make the most of it.”
