Matty Yates hoping for Rangers return after he was released
Matty Yates was released by Rangers in January 2020 after more than 10 years at the club, and the 19-year-old is currently with Scottish League Two outfit Stranraer.
The teenage striker joined Hibernian reserves a month after leaving Ibrox but was released as a result of the financial hardship caused by the pandemic.
Yates was without a club until November, but has hit the ground running in the semi-professional division and is looking forward to returning to Rangers in the future.
The former Light Blues youth star told The Athletic: “If you don’t back yourself what’s the point? If you don’t think you’re good enough you may find something else. I know I’m good enough. Rangers didn’t think I was but I think I should have stayed. I’ve just got to keep battering away at Stranraer and hope it takes me somewhere.
“Kevin Nisbet (of Hibernian) went down the divisions and now look at him. He and Lawrence Shankland (Dundee United) are the main ones I’d look up to but I’m just looking to get back into full-time football. My main aim is to get down to England. If I could get a full-time club here and then win a move, that’s the aim.
“I can score a decent number of goals for any team. I’ve been like that since I was a wee guy, it’s just in me. If I keep doing well then hopefully later down the line I can go back to Rangers one day.”
One to keep an eye on
A couple of youngsters released by clubs always become stars against all odds, and we reckon Yates could follow suit.
He was part of a select group that moved up an age group at 16, winning every trophy available in Scotland as they entered their late teenage years, including the Scottish Youth Cup in 2019, and he definitely still has it in him.
Yates knows how to score goals, once bagging 10 against Hamilton during his time at seven-a-side level.
He needs to prove his quality at first-team level, though, and did score five times from eight starts towards the end of last season.
It takes a lot of hard work and consistency to become a professional, and while Yates is finding this out the hard way, it could be perfect for his development.
Playing against men 15 years older than him would only make him tougher, and we are intrigued to see whether he can make something out of all these and forge a path to top-flight football.
The forward recently landed an extended 18-month deal until next summer, and if he keeps putting in the hard yards, he could be back at Ibrox sooner rather than later.
In other Rangers news, 36y/o wants to become Light Blues manager in future.