Stevie Smith is returning to a coaching role with the Rangers Under-19s.
The former player and academy graduate was promoted to become part of Danny Rohl's backroom team last season, a job he fulfilled until the German head coach departed in the summer.
Now, the highly-regarded coach is to rejoin the academy structure to work with the Under-19 age group.
Smith also took one game as Rangers interim boss, a 2-2 draw with Dundee United, following the sacking of Russell Martin last season.
The former left-back had previously worked for the club's academy from 2021 until 2025 and had also joined Steven Davis' interim coaching team between the sacking of Michael Beale and the appointment of Philippe Clement in 2023.
Smith had served as the Under-18s head coach before youth restructuring across Scottish football saw the top youth bracket extended to the CAS Elite Under-19 league.
Liam Ross, Smith's assistant, replaced him in the dugout, managing the Under-19s last season before departing the club to be replaced by Malky Thomson.
The Rangers Under-19s won the league last season, meaning they'll compete in the UEFA Youth League this year. The Under-19s play Dynamo Kyiv in the Second Round of the UEFA Youth League Domestic Path.
The first leg will take place on Wednesday 28th October away from home, and the return leg will take place on Wednesday 4 th November in Glasgow.
If they win that tie, they will face either AZ Alkmaar or Goztepe A.S of Turkey.
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Earlier this summer Davie McCallum left his role as interim head of academy with Brian Gilmour assuming that position. Academy oversight at an executive level comes under the jurisdiction of Stig Inge Bjørnbjørne.
Smith will work with a talented group that includes Kyle Glasgow (16), Ryddn McGuire (17), Ashton Scally (16), Luca Rankin (16), and many more.
A range of academy players are currently on cooperation loans, an SFA scheme that allows youth internationals to play lower-league football while training with their parent club and turning out for youth teams.
Others, such as highly rated winger Zeb Lawson (17), are out on loan. The right-winger is spending his season at Queen's Park.
Rangers scrapped their B team in early 2025 with no obvious league for a second-string squad to play in. The Lowland League is too low a level to aid development and uncompetitive best-vs-best games with other academies not much better.
In line with wider structural changes across Scottish football, the move to prioritise early exposure for a talented Under-19 group is the focus. Both Scally and McGuire are already deemed in the first-team picture, while Glasgow is impressing on loan at Alloa in League One and featured on the bench in a recent European tie against Jablonec.
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