With the derby on the agenda again this weekend, if Glasgow Rangers are to get a good result, then Ibrox legend Mikey Moore could once again be at the heart of it.
At just 18 years of age, the youngster was dominant in last weekend’s 2-2 draw, winning eight duels, attempting six dribbles and registering two crucial passes, harassing Julian Araujo in that first half.
Previously a hero when the two sides met at Parkhead in January again, the youngster is in no rush to escape the top flight, embarrassing his more senior team-mates with his recent form.
In a team that has changed again and again this season, Moore has always been the same under Danny Rohl, who is undoubtedly proving to be the most successful player in the Ibrox squad.
How has he compared to Moore and the young Rangers players this season
Everything has changed in the attacking department this season in Glasgow, with the Premiership title hopefuls adding four new players to their ranks in the summer and January.
While Moore – five goals and two assists in the league in 2025/26 – is now the man of the moment, the campaign began with Djeidi Gassama tearing it up in July and August, a bright spot in Russell Martin’s poor season.
The 22-year-old Frenchman scored four goals in the Champions League qualifiers, and also scored two goals during the club’s difficult run in the Europa League, his record standing at eight in all competitions so far.
That includes just two Premiership goals, however, the last against Dundee in January, with even Gassama’s former partner Rohl from their Sheffield Wednesday days unable to lift his quiet form in 2026.
His fellow summer signing, Oliver Antman, has scored just one goal since arriving from Go Ahead Eagles, and the winger admitted it was not the best start to his Rangers career.
Encouragingly, the early signs are very promising for the arrival of loanee Andreas Skov Olsen, who has two assists and one goal in seven games, despite being overshadowed by Moore in recent weeks.
It is the teenager who is stealing the headlines at the moment, although the Gers have let such a talent pass them by?
The former Rangers man is now taking out every player at Ibrox
Speculation continues as to whether Moore will be signed permanently by the Light Blues this summer, with the demise of Tottenham Hotspur, and the impending relegation, likely to affect the forward’s future.
Tottenham are now ready to face the bright Rangers in an unexpected situation; looking for Ibrox move
He could be Rohl’s first signing of the summer.
Despite that uncertainty, Rohl and co may wish they were in the market for a man they previously let go of, in the form of Josh McPake, the 24-year-old will join Hearts this summer after signing a pre-contract agreement in January.
Like Moore, McPake – now at St Johnstone – was a highly-rated youngster during his Rangers youth career, memorably shining as a 17-year-old in a Europa League qualifier against St Joseph’s in 2019.
The club’s Academy Player of the Year at the time, the promising Scot was later sent on loan, eventually leaving Ibrox permanently in 2023, after his contract was terminated by mutual consent.
He had just made his debut in the first team at Ibrox, and before moving to Stirling Albion that summer, he had scored just nine career goals in those many loan spells.
|
McPake’s career record |
||
|---|---|---|
|
The club |
Games |
Terms (Help) |
|
St Johnstone |
49 |
18 (7) |
|
Queen’s Park |
33 |
4 (3) |
|
Harrogate |
23 |
4 (0) |
|
Tranmere |
14 |
1 (0) |
|
Stirling |
14 |
4 (1) |
|
Greenock |
10 |
0 (2) |
|
Dundee |
7 |
0 (1) |
|
Morecambe |
7 |
0 (0) |
|
The guards |
1 |
0 (0) |
Fast forward to today, however, and McPake has duly secured his move to Tynecastle after an impressive spell with Saints in Scotland’s second division, pipping them to the Championship in 2025/26.
Sometimes out in the cold with his current club, the pedestrian has reached new heights this season, scoring 17 goals in 33 appearances in all competitions.
That exceeds the number of Rangers’ top goalscorer this season, James Tavernier (13), as 14 of these goals have come in league play.
Like Moore, he is nothing short of dangerous when crossing his favored left side, while boasting a devastating ability to beat his man, averaging an impressive 9.3 tackles per game. For context, Moore averages 1.4 that in the Premiership.
That number was bolstered by his memorable, and viral, display against Greenock Morton back in August, a game in which McPake recorded 30 successful dribbles and won 36 duels down the left.
Looking very good in the Championship, it will be interesting to see how he fares at Hearts next term, and the Gers hope this is not another case that got away.
Rangers have sold an upgrade to Moore, who is now more important than anyone at Ibrox
Mike Moore is this season’s shining star at Ibrox, but have Rangers sold the upgrade yet?
