Lawrence Shankland, the new captain of Rangers, has spoken about the pivotal moments in his career that forged his path to leadership at Ibrox. His journey from being released by Aberdeen without a goal to captaining his boyhood heroes is a testament to resilience, self-reflection, and a renewed commitment to professionalism. This transformation, he explained, was crucial in developing the mindset required to succeed at the highest level of Scottish football.
The Crossroads at Aberdeen
Shankland’s early years at Aberdeen, from 2013 to 2017, were marked by a lack of senior goals and a struggle to consistently apply himself. Despite flashes of promise during loan spells in lower divisions, he found himself unable to break through at his parent club. The realization that raw talent was insufficient without dedication struck him profoundly. Upon his release at the start of the 2017-18 season, Shankland found himself without a club, a stark indicator of how close he had come to falling off the professional football radar.
A crucial turning point arrived in September 2017 when Ian McCall offered him a lifeline at Ayr United, then competing in League One. This opportunity, Shankland admitted, was instrumental in forcing him to confront the potential consequences of his previous approach. “When you’re at a crossroads in your career, you’re always looking for the next opportunity to try and show yourself and improve and do things better than you did before,” Shankland reflected. “I think that’s probably been a valuable lesson I picked up pretty young. It probably was a lesson for me to do things properly every single day. Week in, week out — do as much as you can.”
Rebuilding and Rediscovery
The experience of being without a club and the subsequent grounding at Ayr United instilled a new level of focus and professionalism in Shankland. He prioritized his fitness and dedicated himself to maximizing his potential. This renewed commitment saw him become a prolific goalscorer, first with Ayr United, then with Dundee United, and later at Hearts. A less conventional move to Beerschot in Belgium also contributed to his development, offering a different footballing environment.
His time at Tynecastle was particularly significant. Shankland led Hearts with maturity and effectiveness, guiding them to a position where they were contenders for the Scottish Premiership title in the previous season. This leadership experience, he believes, has prepared him well for the responsibilities that come with captaining Rangers.
Leading His Boyhood Club
Now reunited with his former manager Derek McInnes, who also managed him at Aberdeen, Shankland has been handed the captain’s armband at Rangers. The significance of leading the club he supported as a boy is not lost on him. “It’s obviously huge,” he stated, reflecting on the circuitous route his career has taken. “You work hard and you get moments like this. You get to lead a club like Rangers. It’s obviously huge.”
Shankland hopes his journey can serve as an inspiration to other players facing career difficulties. “Especially at this time of the season, players can find themselves out of the game. It does become a difficult time for people. But if it can be a lesson for any player out there, any boy who’s in a sticky position right now, hopefully my journey can help.”
Embracing the Responsibility of Captaincy
The role of captain at a club like Rangers comes with immense pressure and scrutiny. Shankland acknowledges the weight of expectation and the history associated with the armband, citing club legends like Barry Ferguson and Lee McCulloch as inspirations. “You want to buy into the experience of people who have done it and if I get that opportunity to speak to people I will. Barry Ferguson and Lee McCulloch are still around the club so if I bump into them, they will be giving me advice along the way.”
He is aware of the challenges, recalling how previous captains have faced criticism. However, Shankland embraces the all-encompassing nature of life at Rangers. “For the last two and a half years, all I’ve known is being captain of a club. It’s something I’ve enjoyed. I took the responsibility. Of course, there’s scrutiny when things get difficult and people look to the captain to answer up for the squad. That’s something I’ll need to be responsible for, but the flip side of the rewards of being a successful captain at this club outweigh it by miles. So, it’s something I’m really looking forward to.”
Shankland also emphasized that leadership at Rangers will be a collective effort. “We’ll need a lot of leaders in the camp. Dan (Neil) has been a captain at Sunderland and I’ve had experience of working with Cammy (Devlin) who is a true leader in everything he does. So, it won’t just be myself, there will be a core group that leads the changing room. I’ll be at the forefront of it and I’m pleased with what I’ve seen so far.”
Ambitions for the Season Ahead
Having narrowly missed out on the title with Hearts the previous season, Shankland is determined to go one step further with Rangers. The disappointment of that near miss has fueled his ambition for the current campaign. “It would obviously be huge (to win the title) and it’s something we’re going to set out to try and do,” he stated. “Coming into the season, that’s the expectation. You come to football club like this, you want to go and win the league. There’s no shying away from that.”
He understands the responsibility that comes with playing for a club of Rangers’ stature and is committed to instilling that winning mentality within the squad. “It’s a responsibility that we accept as players. And obviously myself as a captain now, I’ll need to bleed that into the changing room. We missed out last season. But I’m looking forward and hopefully can go one closer this year.”
Shankland’s narrative is a compelling example of how setbacks can forge strength and how a commitment to continuous improvement can lead to the highest honors in the sport. His appointment as Rangers captain marks the culmination of a remarkable personal and professional evolution.
