Kilmarnock defender Lewis Mayo issues verdict on Rangers exit
Kilmarnock defender Lewis Mayo has revealed the reason why he chose to leave Rangers in July 2023 on a three-year deal.
The 23-year-old spent last season out on loan at Rugby Park, where he was a first-team regular.
At Ibrox, he did not get the chance to prove his worth for the senior side and ended up leaving for first-team football.
Mayo said, per the Daily Record on 25 November, page 51: “There was a big emotional attachment at Rangers and that was the hardest part of it. But I also wanted to be positive and look forward. I felt Kilmarnock was a great opportunity. It was something that excited me.
“It was also being mature enough to decide it wasn’t best for me to stay. It was time to move on. If I’d been younger I might not have made that decision. But my loans and my time at Killie last season helped me make that decision.
“The club have shown their faith in me taking permanently plus the length of the contract of three years. I just want to repay that every time I step on the pitch.”
Best of luck
Rangers fans should wholeheartedly wish Mayo the very best in his new venture with Kilmarnock, acknowledging the sincerity and maturity behind his decision to move on from Ibrox.
The 23-year-old’s candid reflection on the emotional attachment to the Ibrox outfit reveals the depth of his connection with the club.
The fact that leaving was a challenging decision for him underscores the passion and commitment he brought to his time with the team even though he failed to cut at the senior level.
His choice to join Kilmarnock is not just a career move but a calculated step forward, driven by genuine excitement and a belief in the opportunities that lay ahead as he knew he wasn’t going to make it at Glasgow.
Gers fans should appreciate Mayo’s honesty and recognise that players, like anyone else, seek personal and professional growth.
Mayo’s acknowledgement of the support and faith Rangers showed in him during his time there reflects his gratitude, and it’s a sentiment that fans can appreciate.
Hopefully, he develops getting regular game time and one day if he’s still open to returning to Ibrox and he’s deemed good enough, a reunion cannot be ruled out.
In other Rangers news, a Daily Record journalist has shared a verdict on Gers or Celtic signing a 29-goal striker in the January transfer window.