This season marked the first year of the new co-operation loan agreement and the reformed Under-19s and Under-17s leagues. These changes were designed to give the club’s most promising young talents a genuine pathway into senior football.
Under the structure, players were loaned out to partner clubs across Scotland while, crucially, able to move between the parent and co-operation club throughout the season to increase playing time. They also retained the ability to train with both their parent and loan clubs during the week before joining up with their loan side for matchdays.
Rangers’ three designated co-operation clubs were Raith Rovers, Alloa Athletic and Stirling Albion. Rangers also used a number of other clubs to ensure their youngsters were getting regular first-team minutes across different leagues and levels.
The initiative represents a significant step forward in the development of Rangers’ academy talent, allowing young players to learn in a first-team environment and gain the competitive experience that only regular senior football can provide.
Loan moves pay dividends
Paul Nsio was arguably the most decorated of the group. The midfielder spent the season at Raith Rovers, making 31 appearances and chipping in with two goals. It took time for him to find his footing, but once he did, Nsio became one of the most valuable members of the Kirkcaldy outfit.
He was voted Young Player of the Year and Supporters’ Bus Player of the Year. A commanding display against Airdrieonians in a 3-1 win in March earned him the Best Individual Performance award. He also received the Malcolm Szpera Award in recognition of his growth, both on and off the pitch, over the course of his season-long loan.
Three Rangers loanees lit up League One with Alloa Athletic, where manager Andy Graham showed consistent faith in youth throughout the season. The Wasps reached the play-off final before narrowly losing out to Stenhousemuir, but all three of the Ibrox contingent left their mark.
Lewis Stewart became a fans’ favourite at the Indodrill Stadium, sweeping the supporter-driven awards by claiming both the Fans’ Player of the Year and The Hive Player of the Year, the latter voted for by young supporters through Alloa’s community initiative. He made 30 appearances, contributing three goals and three assists.
Callum Burnside had arguably the most statistically impressive campaign of any Rangers loanee this season. The forward finished as Alloa’s top scorer with nine goals and four assists in 32 appearances, won the Directors’ Young Player of the Year award and was named in the PFA League One Team of the Year, as voted for by players across the division. Calum Adamson was another reliable presence in Graham’s side, making 31 appearances, with three goals and five assists, to become a trusted figure in the Alloa midfield.
Josh Gentles had a more difficult season. He struggled for game time at Raith Rovers, making just six substitute appearances before being recalled. He was then sent back out on loan to Alloa, where he had impressed last season and showed his quality immediately, scoring twice and assisting two more in five games. However, an injury in February against Queen of the South brought his campaign to a premature end.
At Stirling Albion, Arran Kerr and Connor Campbell made a combined 42 appearances in a tough season which saw the club finish eighth. Both players found it difficult to nail down a starting place early on, partly because of the challenge of training only once a week while still playing for the Under-19s, with matches taking place on Mondays and Tuesdays and limiting Binos manager Alan Maybury’s ability to select them consistently.
The decision to stop playing for the Under-19s and focus solely on Stirling Albion paid off, as both players became regulars in the side. A stop-start campaign was also hampered by injuries and inconsistency across the Stirling squad.
Campbell, despite making 20 appearances, was not offered a contract renewal and departs the club. Kerr, meanwhile, went on to contribute to the Under-19s’ title win after the season concluded, featuring in their final three games.
Jack Wyllie featured 21 times for Kelty Hearts, starting regularly in the opening months of the season before losing his place in the second half. Like Kerr, he also played in the Under-19s’ final three games, partnering him on the right side of defence as the pair developed a strong understanding within the back four.
At Forfar Athletic, Lyle Wark managed six appearances before being recalled because of limited playing time, later contributing to the Under-19s’ title run. Mason Munn had a similar story, making eight appearances for Dunfermline at the start of the campaign before falling out of the starting XI. Recalled in February and sent to Forfar, he made six appearances and kept two clean sheets. Cormac Christie made three appearances for Forfar in October, but was hampered by injuries throughout the season.
Alexander Smith made an immediate impression at Dumbarton despite being only 17, registering four assists in eight appearances before injury cut short his season and ruled him out of the end of the Under-19s campaign. Dumbarton owner Mario Lapointe paid tribute, saying the teenager had shown exactly what he was made of, with a great impact on the pitch, courage under pressure and a determination well beyond his years.
Finally, Zander Hutton was a model of consistency at Hamilton Academical, making 36 appearances, with one goal and five assists. Making the right-back position his own, Hutton played in every play-off game, assisting in the second leg of the semi-final win over Forfar and featuring in the final against Clyde as Hamilton secured their League One survival.
A title win for the 19s
The Under-19s had a season of highs and lows, but finished it in the most memorable way possible.
An exit to Clyde in the Glasgow Cup semi-final and an early elimination from the League Cup group stage, which included title challengers Hibernian and St Mirren, were disappointments, but the young side bounced back brilliantly. They did not falter in the league, with the Gers delivering when it mattered most.
The title was won on goal difference on a dramatic final day, with Zebedee Lawson scoring twice, including a 90th-minute free-kick, to edge out Hibernian and seal the silverware. It was a result that reflected the character of a group which recovered from setbacks throughout the campaign.
Particularly notable was the composition of the starting XI on the final day, which included three players born in 2010 and three born in 2009, significantly younger than the 2007-08 age group the competition is primarily designed for.
The Zebedee Lawson free kick that sealed it⬇️ pic.twitter.com/mwo52I22oV
— Brodie Kerr (@BrodieKerr1) May 15, 2026
The season was also notable for three managerial changes. Stevie Smith was promoted to assist Danny Rohl and, in turn, Liam Ross took over. Ross then departed for Southampton before Malky Thomson took charge in February.
With each manager implementing his own style, it would not have been easy for the players. However, adaptability was something Thomson praised, alongside their fearlessness on the pitch. Thomson implemented a style built on grit, physicality and defensive dominance. In possession, however, the players had the freedom to express themselves, playing with nuance and creativity.
Aiden McCallion, Ashton Scally and Lawson all made their league debuts away at Falkirk the day after the title win, a significant milestone for the trio and a reward for their performances throughout the season.
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Meanwhile, the club’s commitment to its development pathway received its clearest endorsement when Scally, Kyle Glasgow and Luca Rankin all signed professional contracts on turning 16. In doing so, the trio committed their futures to Rangers despite interest from English clubs.
This is a significant statement of intent from players who clearly believe in the direction the club is heading and the opportunity being built for them. For Rangers, it is a reward for the work being done behind the scenes and a strong signal that the pathway they are creating is one young players want to be part of.
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