He dubs them the wise old men of Ibrox. And Rangers boss Michael Beale insists John Park and Neil Banfield are his trusted eyes and guiding lights as they set off on a journey they hope will bring silverware and riches for Rangers.
Beale openly admitted he’d lost a close ally when sporting director Ross Wilson departed last week. That has left the 42-year-old at the forefront of Rangers summer transfer window - one of the biggest and most pivotal recruitment drives in the club’s history. But with assistant boss Banfield, 61, and chief scout Park, 65 – and a third experienced talent spotter in 67-year-old Mervyn Day – at his back Beale is confident the future is bright.
Park in particular will play a key role over the coming weeks and months. His “record of success” excites the Ibrox manager every time he brings a player to his attention. And it’s no wonder, given that Park is the man who, during six years in the same job across the city at Celtic, was credited with discovering star attractions including Virgil van Dijk, Victor Wanyama, and Moussa Dembele whose combined sales topped £45million.
