THE next few months could see Daniel Finlayson take another step towards realising his Rangers dreams as he looks to catch the eye in Light Blue.

But the defender knows he has to prepare for a harsher reality in the chance that he doesn’t make the big breakthrough that he is hoping for at Ibrox.

Finlayson is one of a host of Auchenhowie kids that are aiming to rise through the ranks and have set their sights on a Gers first team spot in the coming years.

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He is also putting in the hours off the pitch, though, and earned Higher As in English and PE thanks to the study programme that is in place at the Rangers Training Centre.

Finlayson told SportTimes: “You always need to think about your future. We work really closely with the staff and you need to have that Plan B if it doesn’t work out how you want it to. That is what I am trying to set myself up for.

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“I know it is going to be hard doing both full-time football and full-time education but you work your day around it. It is hard going but I manage it well.

“I go to St Ninian’s, where all the Celtic boys are, and they follow the same schedule as me and find it the same. They go and train and then come home and study.

“You need to make sacrifices if you want to succeed at both football and education. I think what Rangers do is very good for us and helps us a lot. You always need that Plan B if the worse comes to worst in football.

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“I talk to all the boys at Celtic and there is a bit of banter here and there. It is good and it is really enjoyable.

“I am still Under-17s and I am trying to get into the 20s. I am looking forward to the rest of the season ahead and I will keep working hard.”