The debut of Bailey Rice had a Roy of the Rovers element to it, that's for sure.
Starring for your country before making your senior debut 24 hours later and making history in the process? That's straight out the Melchester Rovers playbook but it was very much a reality for a 16–year–old who is destined for the top. Rice led out Scotland's U17 side during their comprehensive 7-0 thumping over Switzerland before coming off the bench in Rangers' 3-0 win over Livingston.
And in the process he became the youngest ever player to play in a league match for the club, beating Tom Walsh's previous record by 14 days. Derek Ferguson remains the youngest ever to play in a competitive match for Rangers but that was a League Cup encounter. It's the stuff of dreams, of course, but it's not a major surprise to those who know Rice best. The youngster has long been earmarked as a player of potential distinction and his arrival at senior arrival is an indication of how highly he is valued for both club and country. But what else is there to know? Join Record Sport as we run the rule over Rice and what could come next.
