SCOTT GALLACHER will always be grateful for the Ibrox apprenticeship he received under Stefan Klos and Allan McGregor.
Now the Alloa No.1 is determined to show Rangers that he is the finished article.
Gallacher, 26, was on the books of the Glasgow giants from the age of 15 and initially worked alongside Champions League winner Klos when he began training with the senior side.
He then provided back-up for the likes of McGregor and Neil Alexander, however he left the club in 2014 having grown frustrated at a lack of first-team football which amounted to six appearances.
Gallacher recalled: “Rangers is an incredible place to learn your trade, with the facilities at Murray Park and the standard of player you were working alongside.
“It gives you everything you need to learn and improve. It’s different class. My first year was when Stefan Klos was the No.1, so it wasn’t a bad start – watching a guy who won the European Cup.
“After that, it was Allan McGregor, who was superb for the club. You can learn a lot from these guys about mentality and consistency. Neil Alexander would fall into the same bracket.
“I still have a great relationship with so many people there – even the people nobody ever hears about like the cleaners and security guards. You get to know them from the moment you walk through the door.
“It’s a club which is still special to me and I’ve got nothing but positive things to say about my time at Rangers – but hopefully we can send them home disappointed.”
Gallacher joined another of Scottish football’s big guns following his Rangers departure, signing for Hearts – however he once again found himself behind the reliable Neil Alexander in the pecking order.
He terminated his contract last month after a frustrating 18 months in Gorgie, which included a loan spell at Forfar, in order to sign for Alloa and he has impressed in his three outings so far.
Gallacher believes the time is right in his career to finally cement a starting berth as he eyes an eventual return to the top level.
He continued: “At big clubs like Rangers and Hearts, it can be hard to get that opportunity. I still believe I have the ability to be playing at that level – and it is up to me to prove that now.
“It’s great to be playing games and doing well. It has focused my mind, I’m feeling sharp and this was definitely the right move for me. I want to do as well as possible with Alloa and we’ll see where that takes us.”
Despite his own contentment, Gallacher acknowledges that Alloa – four points adrift at the foot of the Championship – face an almighty task when Mark Warburton’s league leaders come to town today.
He added: “All we can do is enjoy the match and give it our best shot. We’ll approach the match in the same manner we approach every game, by concentrating on what we do well and trying to impose ourselves on the match.
“We know we are massive underdogs, and that suits us, but we’ll give it a right good go.”
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