BY IAIN COLLIN – @CCP_sport
Jordan Thompson’s career began amidst the superstars of Manchester United but hopes his loan spell at Raith Rovers can boost his chances of a first-team breakthrough at Rangers.
The youngster used to rub shoulders with the likes of Wayne Rooney, Rio Ferdinand and Ashley Young at United’s Carrington training complex and recalls a morale-boosting pep-talks from Sir Alex Ferguson.
But, after being freed by the English giants last summer, the 19-year-old was thrilled to win a move to childhood idols Rangers and is determined to ensure he now goes from boyhood fan to top-team regular.
He said: “It was brilliant being at Manchester United. Every day you were training with better players and it was a brilliant way to start my career.
“Whenever you went with the under-18s you were in the same building as the first-team, so you saw them preparing for training and it was very good.
“It was great being about the place with so many top players and the manager.
“When I first moved over I went in to see Sir Alex Ferguson before one of the matches to have a wee meeting with him and he just told me that Northern Irish boys do well at the club.
“It was good and my mum was just gobsmacked when I told her.”
Dream come true
Thompson has started both of Raith’s back-to-back league wins so far this season, a start that has Gary Locke’s outfit full of confidence for this afternoon’s Fife derby against rivals Dunfermline.
And the Belfast teenager is hopeful he can help his own chances of making a first-team breakthrough at Rangers by helping Rovers to stay top of the Championship.
He added: “I grew up a Rangers fan and my family always get the boat over for games, so it was a dream come true for me to join the club.
“But now I am at Raith, I just need games to improve me as a player.
“The gaffer has been saying Saturday is a big match that we need to win so I am looking forward to it. We have made a great start to the season and we want to carry it on.”
