RANGERS supporters have endured far too many badge kissers and kid-on devotees for more years than they would care to remember.
In Graham Dorrans, the club’s ninth signing of the summer, they are getting the real deal this time.
It’s not been the best of weeks for those whose hearts are given over to Glasgow’s team in blue given their exit from the Europa League qualifying at the hands of Luxembourg minnows Progres Niederkorn; however, this new addition on a three-year deal is worth getting at least a bit excited about.
Dorrans is exactly what Rangers have needed for some time. He’s a defensive-minded central midfielder with good experience at a top level, he played almost 150 Premier League games for West Bromwich Albion, and at age 30 will know his role inside out while remaining young enough to run about the park.
Not only that, but he is a genuine, bonafide Rangers fan. That doesn’t guarantee he’s going to be a star, of course, but by the same token, with what happened in Luxembourg in mind, it won’t hurt this team to have someone on the pitch who used to sit in the stands.
“It feels incredible,” admitted Dorrans. “It has been a long couple of weeks, but to finally get it over the line is an incredible feeling and I just can’t wait to get the boots on and get started.
“I don’t think there is ever a wrong time to come to a football club like this. The size of this football club is incredible – I’ve obviously had great times down in England, especially at West Brom, but growing up, I knew I always wanted to come to this football club and when the chance came around, I jumped at it.
“It’s no secret I grew up a Rangers fan. I always wanted to come here, so when the chance came around, I was straight on the phone to my agent to get things sorted. Thankfully, we are there and we can move forward now.”
As a young fan, Dorrans was lucky. He got to see the nine-in-a-row legends of the 1990s, a time when a solitary defeat felt like the end of the world. Things have changed ever so slightly though, and he knows it.
The former Livingston and Partick Thistle player has come into a club which is going through yet another period of transition under Pedro Caixinha, and so the aims are different to when he was a punter.
Dorrans is ready to embrace the challenge and said: “I want to come in and help the youngsters and I like to think I can bring a bit of experience having played at a high level for the last 10 years now.
“I am confident we have a good enough squad to compete. Hopefully I can come in and help the team, help the young boys develop and help the club get back to where it belongs.
“Last season was a little bit disappointing, we were so many points behind Celtic, so hopefully we can be much more competitive in the league next year and maybe get some of the trophies and take it from there,” said Dorrans.
“I grew up watching successful teams – people like [Jorg] Albertz, [Brian] Laudrup, [Paul] Gascoigne and even people like Barry Ferguson – good footballers – and watching teams like that was the buzz I got when I was younger. It was great to come and see that.”
Dorrans was always going to leave Norwich City this summer and while Rangers barely had to put on the hard sell, it helped that a few friends were already at the club doing their bit to make sure the move went through.
“Both Lee Wallace and Kenny Miller have been a big driving force behind pushing to get me in here,” he said.
“I have been speaking to them both regularly on the phone and they have been speaking to the manager as well, they have been great. We have a good squad; we are adding some quality players, so hopefully we can push on.
“The manager has been great too. I will play where he wants me to play; I am just excited to come in here. I have been chatting to him for the last week or so, and he has been the driving force behind the move. I am looking forward to coming in and working with him.
“I can’t wait to start; it is something I have always dreamed of since I was a kid, so I am looking forward to getting into training and getting the boots on. Once that day comes to run out at Ibrox it will be great.
“There are some big names coming in and we’ll get four weeks behind us now training, hopefully we’ll gel quickly and be ready for the first game.”
The only issue, if it could be called that, is he is a bit behind in terms of pre-season training.
Dorrans said: “I have been keeping myself fit over the summer, the boys here came back earlier than me at Norwich and I have been training now for the last 10 days.
“I have done a little bit of running and I have had a chat with Craig Flannigan here, the fitness coach, and he is confident he can keep me up to speed with the boys. Hopefully I can catch them up.”
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