Lawrence Shankland’s ascent to the captaincy of Rangers Football Club marks a significant chapter in a career that once teetered on the brink of obscurity. His path to leading his boyhood heroes has been anything but conventional, defined by a crucial period of self-reflection and a renewed commitment to his craft after a challenging spell at Aberdeen and a subsequent spell without a club.
The Crossroads at Aberdeen
By the summer of 2017, Lawrence Shankland found himself at a critical juncture. After four years with Aberdeen, his goal-scoring drought for the senior team was stark, with no goals to show for his time at the club. While his early promise at Queen’s Park and flashes of talent during various loan spells in lower leagues were evident, Shankland struggled to translate that potential into consistent performance at his parent club. This period was characterized by a realization that raw talent alone was insufficient to succeed at the highest level.
The summer of 2017 marked a release from Aberdeen, leaving Shankland without a club as the 2017-18 season commenced. This precarious situation served as a powerful catalyst for change. A timely intervention came in September of that year when Ian McCall offered him a lifeline at Ayr United, then competing in League One. This opportunity proved to be a pivotal moment, forcing Shankland to confront the potential of his career slipping away.
A Renewed Focus and Resurgence
The prospect of falling off the professional football radar spurred a profound shift in Shankland’s mindset. He embraced a renewed sense of focus and professionalism, prioritizing his physical conditioning and dedicating himself to maximizing his potential. This period of introspection and recommitment proved transformative.
Once this crucial realization, often described as ‘the penny dropping,’ took hold, Shankland’s performances on the pitch underwent a dramatic transformation. He became a prolific goalscorer, first with Ayr United, then with Dundee United, and subsequently at Hearts. A less conventional move to Beerschot in Belgium also contributed to his development, exposing him to different environments and styles of play.
His maturity and leadership qualities became increasingly apparent. At Tynecastle, he captained Hearts and was instrumental in their challenge for the league title in the previous season, bringing the team tantalizingly close to silverware. This experience in a high-pressure leadership role has undoubtedly prepared him for the demands of captaining Rangers.
Leading His Boyhood Club
Now reunited with former manager Derek McInnes, who also managed him at Aberdeen, Shankland has been entrusted with the captain’s armband at Rangers. The significance of this appointment is amplified by the fact that Rangers are the club he supported as a boy. The journey from the fringes of professional football to leading such a prestigious institution is a testament to his resilience and determination.
Reflecting on his career trajectory, Shankland acknowledged the profound impact of those challenging experiences. “Obviously, those experiences were huge turning points in my career,” he stated. “But 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.”
He emphasized the importance of daily dedication and a consistent work ethic. “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. Nobody can be 100 per cent every day. But you do as much as you can. And every time you show up to work, you turn up with the right attitude.”
Shankland expressed deep gratitude for the opportunities he received to reignite his career. “When I got the opportunity when I was younger to go back to learn and play football again, I was just so grateful. That grounding obviously does help. You work hard and you get moments like this. You get to lead a club like Rangers. It’s obviously huge.”
A Lesson in Perseverance
Shankland’s story serves as an inspiring narrative for aspiring footballers facing adversity. His journey from being released by a club and finding himself without a team to becoming captain of a major club highlights the importance of perseverance and seizing opportunities. “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,” he remarked.
Embracing the Captaincy at Ibrox
Having experienced captaincy at Hearts, Shankland is well-prepared for the responsibilities that come with leading Rangers. He understands the weight of history and the expectations associated with the armband, acknowledging the club’s legendary captains who have come before him. He intends to draw on their experiences, mentioning Barry Ferguson and Lee McCulloch as figures he might seek advice from.
“It is maybe something that I could do,” Shankland said regarding seeking advice. “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 (Ferguson) was always my Rangers hero growing up. Maybe that’s because he was getting the opportunity to lift the trophies at the end of the season when they won them. That feeling is one you want as a captain.”
Shankland is aware of the intense scrutiny that comes with captaining Rangers, recalling how previous captains have faced criticism. However, he embraces the all-encompassing nature of the club and the responsibility it entails. “For the last two and a half years, all I’ve known is being captain of a club,” he added. “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.”
He also emphasized the importance of collective leadership within the squad, noting the presence of other experienced leaders like Dan Neil and Cammy Devlin. “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
With the disappointment of narrowly missing out on the title with Hearts still fresh, Shankland is focused on achieving success with Rangers. He views the upcoming season as an opportunity for redemption and is determined to help the club secure the league title.
“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. 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 journey underscores the transformative power of resilience, self-belief, and a commitment to continuous improvement, qualities that now define him as he leads Rangers onto the pitch.
