Rangers will play Championship side, Partick Thistle, at Firhill next week as the Gers kick off their pre-season campaign – and fans could be allowed access to see Steven Gerrard’s side for the first time since lifting the Scottish Premiership title.
Thistle boss Ian McCall confirmed the fixture in an update on Partick’s official website, with the Jags boss confirming that the Rangers side will be filled with Steven Gerrard’s “heavy-hitters.”
The Light Blues only have one game confirmed so far for pre-season – an Ibrox clash with Arsenal – with their plans still a well-guarded secret ahead of the players returning to training this week.
McCall told how he has spoken with Rangers boss Gerrard and confirmed that the Gers’ will send a full-strength squad to Firhill for the clash with the League One winners – with the game also apparently being shown on Rangers TV.
“I hope our supporters realize the work Gerry Britton is doing to get as many in as possible,” McCall said.
“It’s a fantastic game and I’ve spoken to Steven [Gerrard] and Gary [McAllister] and it’s Rangers’ full team, all the heavy-hitters, and the new signings as well.
“It’s just a shame that…hopefully, we’ll have 1000 fans, I don’t know the number really, but we could have a vast number of Rangers fans in here. Although they can see it on Rangers TV, I’m sure they’ll all want to see their team for the first time since they stopped 10 in a row.
“We’ve got a very good relationship with Rangers and it’ll be a great test of our fitness as we’ll be chasing the ball for the vast majority of the game. It’s one to be very excited about, for the players, to play against the top, top players.”
Rangers fans could get a glimpse of Fashion Sakala and Nnamdi Ofoborh
Rangers have added two new faces to the squad so far this summer in Fashion Sakala and Nnamdi Ofoborh and both could feature in the clash with Thistle.
The likes of Nathan Patterson, Glen Kamara, and Jon McLaughlin are likely to be given some time off though after representing their national teams at Euro 2020 – while Borna Barisic and Filip Helander are still involved.
With the Gers making their return to the Champions League later this summer, they’ll be getting ready to put in the hard work needed to replicate the fantastic form of last season.