Bailey Rice is determined to make a big push to become a first-team regular at Rangers next season after a slow start to his Ibrox career.
The 18-year-old midfielder made his debut for the Light Blues away to Livingston in February 2023, as an 88th-minute substitute for Ryan Kent.
However, further progress has been gradual and after featuring just twice as a late substitute in the 2023/24 campaign, he has started only three games this season in nine appearances.
Barry Ferguson took over from Philippe Clement in February until the end of the season and amid an impending takeover by an American consortium of Andrew Cavenagh and the 49ers Enterprises, there is speculation as to who will be the manager for next season.
However, ahead of Sunday’s visit of Aberdeen to Ibrox, the third last William Hill Premiership game of a trophyless season for the Govan club, Rice spoke positively about becoming a regular starter for the Gers regardless of who is in charge.
He said: “You don’t want to just be a squad player or a bench player, you want to be playing for this club which I’ve supported for my whole life.
“It’s a dream every time I play and hopefully I can take that into next season and see where it goes.
“It’s been good, obviously I’d have liked to play more games but whenever I’ve had a bit of a chance I’ve took it and showed what I can do.
“So hopefully moving on to next season I can get more of them.
“People can say it’s been slow but at the end of the day this is Rangers, it’s a lot harder and a lot more demanding than any other club. I’ve been happy with how it’s been.
“I have the confidence in myself, I always back myself. But at the end of the day it’s up to the gaffer to decide who’s going to start.”.
Rice believes Ferguson, the former Gers captain and midfielder, has been beneficial but would not reveal exact conversations.
He said: “That’s between me and him, but what he’s taught me and what he’s shown me, I feel like I’ve been definitely working on it and showing him on the weekend.
“He’s been brilliant, he’s been brutally honest which I really like and he has been picking apart my game, to see what I can do better and see what I’m doing well.”
Rangers have not won in the last seven games at Ibrox – five under Ferguson – and Rice is keen to end that run against the Dons.
He said: “It’s not been good enough. This club is about winning. I know that, I’ve grown up supporting this club my whole life. But yeah, it’s not good enough.
“The season hasn’t always gone how we’ve planned or how we wanted it to go, but what we do in the last three games we can take into next season. Again it’s got to be three points.”
