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The last five seasons have been the toughest half decade that Rangers have ever faced in their long and illustrious history.
Scotland’s most successful football have club have endured a number of seasons in the lower leagues of Scottish professional football, attempting to right the wrongs of their punishment since going into administration, fighting their way back from Scottish League Two to the Premiership.
Over the course of the half-decade, many players have come and go, and the club has also seen a number of different managers take the reigns.
With the current season drawing to a near close, we are going to explore the past five winners of the clubs’ Young Player of the Year award, and see where they are in their careers.
2016/2017- Emerson Hyndman
USA international central-midfielder Emerson Hyndman picked up the Rangers’ Young Player of the Year award last season whilst on loan from Bournemouth.
The 22-year-old only joined up with the Light Blues for the second half of the season, but his 17 appearances were enough to earn him the award after an impressive showing in what was a torrid first season for the club back in Scotland’s top flight.
The American is still owned by Bournemouth but has only made three appearances so far this season under Eddie Howe, none of which have come in the Premier League.
Still awaiting his league debut for the Cherries, the upcoming campaign will be a make or break year for the USA star.
2015/2016 – Barrie McKay
Barrie McKay picked up the Young Player of the Year award in 2016 after a stunning showing in the Scottish Championship which saw the youngster play nearly every game in the league campaign, finishing the season with a whopping 48 appearances.
McKay has since left Rangers and now plies his trade with Nottingham Forest, where he has similarly become a first team regular for the Championship outfit.
Highly rated at Ibrox, McKay made 140 appearances for the Light Blues before moving on and even earned a Scotland cap during his final season at the club.
An academy graduate, his Rangers career saw him help the club to three promotions, from the bottom of the professional football system back to the top flight.
2014/2015 – Andy Murdoch
Midfielder Andy Murdoch made 14 league appearances for Rangers in 14/15 which saw him end the season on a high by picking up the Young Player of the Year award.
The following season saw the youngster loaned out to Queen of the South, only for the player to be sold two summers ago to Scottish Championship outfit Greenock Morton.
Since joining Morton, Murdoch has become a first team regular for the promotion hopefuls, making over a half-century of appearances for the club in his first couple of seasons.
Once a very highly rated young Rangers star, Murdoch will be disappointed his Ibrox career never fruition having spent five years in the youth academy prior to his debut.
2013/2014 – Fraser Aird
Canadian-Scot Fraser Aird picked up the Young Player of the Year award with his boyhood club back in 2014, after making 37 appearances for Rangers.
A regular down the right-flank, whether that be as a winger or a right-back, Aird was a fan favourite at Ibrox, moving on to play for Falkirk in 2016.
Aird is now a full Canadian international with eight caps to his name, and currently plays for Dunfermline in the Scottish Championship, where is a regular starter for the club.
Interestingly, Aird’s only goal for Canada so far has come against Scotland, netting the opener in a 1-1 draw at Easter Road in 2017.
2012/2013 – Lewis Macleod
Lewis Macleod spent eight years in the Rangers academy before earning his debut back in 12/13, going on to become the club’s Young Player of the Year in his first season after making 29 appearances as an 18-year-old.
Having spent three seasons as a regular in the first team amassing 74 appearances in the blue shirt, Macleod has since moved on to Brentford where he has spent the last four seasons.
Game time has been a bit more difficult to come by for the youngster in the Championship and Macleod has only played 20 games for his new club.
Nonetheless, compared to some of the other former winners of the club’s Young Player of the Year award, he is plying his trade at a high level and can be pleased at that.