Lawrence Shankland believes he has come full circle after finally completing his move to Rangers, the club he supported as a boy. Released at the age of 12, the striker has taken a winding path back to Ibrox, via spells at Queen's Park, Aberdeen, Dunfermline, St Mirren, Morton, Ayr, Dundee United, Belgian side Beerschot, and Hearts.
The 30-year-old's journey has been marked by resilience, shaped by early rejection and repeated transfer speculation. 'Rangers was actually one of them when I was really young,' Shankland recalled. 'I got released from here when I was kind of on trial for a long time. Those are the kind of things that mould you for the future.'
At Hearts, Shankland developed into one of Scotland's most lethal finishers and a captain, leading the team to within touching distance of the Premiership title last season. He scored 20 league goals and provided leadership during a campaign that ended in disappointment but showcased his growth. 'The last two or three years have obviously been huge in terms of development of that side of my game and my leadership,' he said.
Now at Rangers, Shankland aims to provide the leadership and goals the club needs after a trophy-less season. 'Being a Glasgow boy, you come from normality really, they're working class people and obviously you get that resilience built into you from an early age,' he added. 'I've always wanted to be a footballer, but you get knocks along the way.'
With his boyhood dream realised, Shankland is determined to make his mark. 'It’s been spoken about for so long,' he said of the transfer speculation. 'When I heard the interest was real this week, I was really tempted straight away. Being your boyhood club, it is always your dream to play for them.'
