From the age of six, all Findlay Curtis wanted to do was play for Rangers. At 19, he realised the best way to do that was to play for Kilmarnock. Soon, he will play for Scotland, too.
That step into the international arena was always predicted but has come sooner than expected. If Curtis had not made the decision to leave Ibrox and move to Rugby Park, there is every chance that he would have been watching Steve Clarke’s side face Japan from afar rather than being at Hampden and in with a chance of making his first appearance for his country.
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The decision to send Curtis on loan has become a talking point at various times in recent weeks as supporters have debated the rights and wrongs of the winger departing Danny Rohl’s squad. Each time Andreas Skov Olsen or Djeidi Gassama underperformed, the calls of ‘I told you so’ came to the fore once again as those who observed the snapshot rather than the bigger picture yearned for Curtis. Just seven games into his Killie career, the move has already been justified for all three concerned parties.
Curtis capped a week to remember by scoring his first goal for Neil McCann’s side in the win over Livingston on Saturday. If the next seven matchdays go to plan, Curtis will lead Kilmarnock to Premiership safety and have a title medal waiting for him at the other end of the M77.
Like the bond that Curtis has with McCann and assistant Billy Dodds, the relationship between the forward and Danny Rohl is strong. The German messaged Curtis when his international recognition was confirmed and Rangers are fully invested and up-to-speed on how one of their prized assets is faring, both on and off the park. Curtis is temporarily out of sight, but has never been out of mind.
Tackle 💪
Touch 😍
Finish 🥶
Findlay Curtis caps off a tremendous Killie counter to seal the points. pic.twitter.com/oiTjNNKXQ6— Kilmarnock FC (@KilmarnockFC) March 22, 2026
Staff have observed his progress from the stands since Curtis made his debut in a 3-0 win over Aberdeen, with technical director Dan Purdy watching him in person on two occasions. That victory against the Dons came just days after Curtis started in Porto as he made his final appearance of the term for his boyhood club.
The move to Ayrshire had been agreed upon some time before that, around mid-January, but was not signed and sealed until Curtis returned from Portugal. Rangers were in the middle of a congested fixture schedule and Curtis also featured against Annan, Ludogorets and Dundee. Rohl could have been selfish and kept him in the building, but the collective view was that it was more beneficial all round for Curtis to play as many minutes as possible rather than being given the odd chance here and there at Ibrox.
There was interest from League One in England and the Scottish Championship, as well as from Dundee and Livingston. Kilmarnock were Curtis’ pick and the club were happy to oblige and support him in that regard as he was reunited with McCann, a mentor that he worked with on an individual basis during his months back at Ibrox last term. Indeed, it was McCann who broke the news to him that he had been included in the national squad, albeit at the second time of asking after Curtis missed the first call from his gaffer.
Rangers wanted the teenager to remain in the Premiership so that they could monitor his development at this level and there was also the hope – as proved to be the case when Killie beat Hearts at Rugby Park – that Curtis could help take points off Rohl’s title rivals. The same theory was applied to Lyall Cameron ahead of his move to Aberdeen but has not materialised.
That Hearts fixture was the first time that Curtis had been utilised in his preferred berth on the left flank. His versatility, combined with his willingness to learn, had seen him operate at right-back and on the right of a diamond previously.
That adaptability goes back to his early days at Rangers when he was initially deployed as a centre-forward. Curtis was such a clean striker of the ball, even in childhood, that those who watched him for the first time could not decipher which foot was his strongest and he would take corners and free-kicks from both sides of the park, his delivery as accurate with his right as it was with his left.
In his time in charge of the Under-19s, Stevie Smith – now one of Rohl’s coaches – moved Curtis from striker to left-wing for a match with St Mirren. The following week, he played in the middle of the park against Celtic and was so comfortable there that he kept that slot for the remainder of the term, in both the No.8 and No.10 positions.
It is from that left wing where Rangers see Curtis playing in the years to come. He scored his first professional goal from that side – advancing wide, cutting in and then finding the far corner – against Panathinaikos and two more followed in successive matches at home to Alloa Athletic and away to St Mirren.
A wide man who knows the route to goal is an invaluable asset and Curtis will be in Rohl’s plans for next term. Given the uncertainty, for three different reasons, over Skov Olsen, Gassama and Mikey Moore, Curtis is one piece of the jigsaw ready to be put back into place.
His most recent contract was signed last January and he is seen as a player who has much more to give for the club that he grew up supporting and playing for after travelling from Balfron.
He first did so not long after starting primary school. Curtis attended the Rangers Soccer Schools programme alongside his brother and was spotted by one of the academy scouts. A handful of players were picked out and asked to attend sessions at Auchenhowie on a Sunday evening, with Curtis embarking on the same path as the likes of Leon King and Robbie Fraser. Soon, he was training with the Under-9s group at the academy. The rest, as they say, is history.
That was not always guaranteed, though. One source has told the Rangers Review how Curtis went under the radar in the youth system. While he was viewed as a good player, he was not necessarily one who stood out in the manner that King did, for example.
His trajectory coincided with the circumstances at Ibrox and he was at the peak of his performance in the right place at the right time as first-team doors opened. He was a scorer in the Youth Cup final win over Aberdeen in 2024, alongside striker Josh Gentles.
Curtis has never forgotten where he came from. When he was handed a place in the first team squad, he would regularly head back round to the other side of the training centre to speak with former teammates or those younger members of the system that were attempting to follow in his footsteps, as well as catching up with the staff who helped him on his journey.
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Even when he was making his debut against Fraserburgh or playing against Manchester United at Old Trafford, there was no sense of bombast about Curtis, no chance that a young man thought he had made it before he had actually done anything. It was that bow against the Broch when Curtis finally felt like a Rangers player and he was watched by his family, partner and friends as Philippe Clement allowed him to live his dream. Four days later, he got the final half an hour – despite missing training at the start of the week due to illness – as Clement’s side came within seconds of a famous result against United.
His first start came on the day that Rangers – by this stage under the guidance of Barry Ferguson – drew with Aberdeen. Curtis was told on the Saturday that he was starting and got little sleep as his parents repeatedly phoned to try and ease his excitement and nerves. His father and brother made the trip to Pittodrie, with his mother back at the family home in tears. The emotion overcame her again last week when Curtis broke the news of his national service.
That family unit has always been important for Curtis. He is from a strong Rangers background and therefore aware of what the badge means but the pressure came from his sporting environment and own expectations rather than pushy parents.
"A BELTER from the Boy Wonder!" 😱😱
An unbelievable run and strike from Findlay Curtis to fire @RangersFC in front! 🔵 pic.twitter.com/Qjs2qpU2rx— Premier Sports (@PremSportsTV) July 22, 2025
The details – as a person and a player – matter and Curtis has integrated seamlessly at Kilmarnock. Shaking hands and engaging in conversation with club staff may seem minor, but not all youngsters, footballers or not, see the value or have the values.
Curtis has new faces to meet and greet this week as Scotland prepare to host Japan at Hampden on Saturday and then travel to Liverpool to meet the Ivory Coast. Game time will be the ultimate ambition for Curtis, and it would be the latest reward for him. Yet the experience will be invaluable as he joins a squad that includes Ibrox team-mates Liam Kelly and John Souttar.
With Ben Gannon Doak injured, there is a real chance for Curtis to stake a claim in the wide areas. In the darkest days of Russell Martin’s tenure, the World Cup would not even have been a flickering light for Curtis. Now he is edging ever closer to the end of the tunnel.
The road from Glasgow to Massachusetts is there to be travelled for Curtis. It would not have been possible without a detour to Kilmarnock.
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