Greg Stewart Interview

[BridgeIsBlue 66,604]

GREG STEWART lived the nightmare when he was released by Rangers as a kid. Now, he is living the dream after returning to Ibrox.

The ambition of playing for his boyhood heroes seemed to be over when he was told he wasn’t being kept on as a 13-year-old. When he was playing part-time at Cowdenbeath while working at the Grangemouth refinery, the road back to the top looked a long and arduous one.

It is a journey that Stewart has now completed, however, through both skill and perseverance. His patience has paid off.

 

The memories of his time in the stands will last a lifetime for Stewart but he now has the opportunity to make his own history, to write his own chapter at Ibrox after penning a two-year deal last Thursday.

“When I was young my favourite player was Brian Laudrup,” Stewart said. “There are a lot of Rangers players I could mention but he was the main one I liked.

“I just loved the way he played, the way he ran with the ball. He was amazing to watch.

“I also loved watching Ally McCoist and all the goals he scored and Gazza too. It will be an absolute dream to follow in their footsteps to pull on a Rangers jersey.

“But the dream will only last for a day. There is always a demand at this club to get silverware and I need to make sure that’s done by the end of the season.

“There are so many memories but I remember when Rangers got through to the last 16 of the Champions League. Peter Lovenkrands scored against Inter Milan to get us through to face Villarreal in the knockouts. That was amazing.

“I also followed the club on the road to Manchester. I went down to Manchester for the final with friends and family. We all went down on a bus from where I lived at the time.

“It was something I will never forget. It was not the result that we wanted but seeing so many people down there was incredible. European nights at Ibrox are brilliant as a fan. I can just imagine what Ibrox is going to be like as a player.”

 

Stewart has already walked down the tunnel and played on his hallowed turf for Dundee, Aberdeen and Kilmarnock but the chance to do so as a Rangers player is one he has waited his whole life for.

He owes a debt of gratitude to boss Steven Gerrard for making his dream a reality this summer following his departure from Birmingham City.

It is one Stewart is determined to repay as he looks to make up for lost time and finally make a name for himself in Light Blue.

He said: “I watched a lot of English football. I watched Match of the Day every week and I would watch him. The calibre of player he was and what he did in his career, you just looked at him and thought: ‘what a player!’

“It’s a dream to sign for him. When you go and meet someone like that and what he’s done in his career it gives you that excitement and motivation to do well under him and better yourself.

“He’s got a great backroom staff at the club and they do everything for you. Then it’s up to you when you get on that pitch.

“When you are young and you get rejected it is not easy to take. The fact that I was a Rangers fan made it that bit harder to take.

“But I had my family around me to help me and cheer me up. I signed for Hearts quite soon after which made it a little bit easier for me, that I got a club straight away. But it’s something that I will always remember because it was a sore one.

“So to get the chance to come back is great because back then I probably didn’t think it would happen.”

 

At 29, Stewart’s football story has now come full circle and he is back where it all began.

It was Hearts that picked him up when he was down as a kid but Cowdenbeath where he got his break and earned a move to Dens Park.

Former team-mate Scott Linton spoke this week about how Stewart turned up for a trial with the Blue Brazil wearing Rangers training gear.

Stewart laughed off that particular anecdote. But the tale of how he turned his career around is far more serious and inspiring for any other youngsters that find themselves in a similar position.

“Yes, I thought my chance was gone,” Stewart said of his time working at Grangemouth as his football ambitions seemingly slipped away. “But all the hard work has paid off now and hopefully I don’t need to go back to that any time soon.

“Does that make me more able to handle the pressure at Rangers? Everyone is different but maybe I appreciate being here at Rangers more than someone who has not had a job and always been in football and they don’t know what it’s like.

“But everyone is their own person and I’m just excited for what lies ahead. Now I’m doing something that I have always dreamed of doing. I just want to work hard and try to make sure that everything goes well.

“My advice to them would be that there’s rejection in every job but it’s about how you handle it. You just have to keep on going and try and pick yourself up and have that strong mentality about you that you keep on believing in your own ability. And hopefully if you keep working hard then you will get your rewards in the end.”

 

Having put in the hard graft to get back to Ibrox, Stewart will now need to redouble his efforts to become a key part of Gerrard’s squad this term.

The forward has joined up with the Light Blues at their training camp in the Algarve as Gerrard steps up his preparations for another crack at the Premiership title.

Stewart said: “I felt last season Rangers were kicking themselves because they dropped stupid points and could have won it. But I’m sure they know that and I’m sure that’s given everyone the appetite to put it right this season because we know that’s the demand on us.

“It will be massive. The Rangers fans deserve something and hopefully the group of boys here can help make that happen for them.”

https://www.eveningtimes.co.uk/sport/17722446.amp/?ref=twtrec&__twitter_impression=true

[SonOfLuther 3,400]

“When I was young my favourite player was Brian Laudrup,” Stewart said. “There are a lot of Rangers players I could mention but he was the main one I liked.

“I just loved the way he played, the way he ran with the ball. He was amazing to watch." 👍

[1690tamRFC 5,001]

I’ll be honest, I can’t even remember him playing against us for them teams he mentioned before going to Birmingham. I can’t even remember him this season for killie when he was doing well, but he’s nailed his colours to the mast there and obviously comes from a good Rangers family. 

Best way to get over the rejection as a boy and make everycunt proud is to absolutely smash it now. He’s lucky he’s got a second chance to be here, he’s also lucky that he’s playing in an era that doesn’t involve the likes of the legends he’s mentioned watching from the stands, but if he fires us to 55 he’ll be every much a legend as Gazza or Laudrup. 

[Courtyard Bear 41,357]

The fact he’s a Bear just makes you want him to succeed even more. 

Is Stewart the new Halliday. 

[wully 47,207]

I have no interest in what he has to say.

[Billy1984 6,314]

9 hours ago, 1690tamRFC said:

I’ll be honest, I can’t even remember him playing against us for them teams he mentioned before going to Birmingham. I can’t even remember him this season for killie when he was doing well, but he’s nailed his colours to the mast there and obviously comes from a good Rangers family. 

Best way to get over the rejection as a boy and make everycunt proud is to absolutely smash it now. He’s lucky he’s got a second chance to be here, he’s also lucky that he’s playing in an era that doesn’t involve the likes of the legends he’s mentioned watching from the stands, but if he fires us to 55 he’ll be every much a legend as Gazza or Laudrup. 

He scored a great goal against us at Ibrox for Killie last season.

[hammer93 15,056]

1 hour ago, wully said:

I have no interest in what he has to say.

No interest in what a Rangers player has to say.....why?

Give the guy a chance ffs 

[GOAT 30,449]

Didn’t want him, still don’t understand the signing, all you had to do was look at a sheep shagger forum and he wasn’t good enough for them, so how is he good enough for us?  But he’s here now so he’ll get a chance but I’m not optimistic, hopefully he proves me wrong. 

[mitre_mouldmaster 21,509]

2 hours ago, wully said:

I have no interest in what he has to say.

The hypocrisy of this statement is just too much to let pass.........

So you join a forum for Rangers fans, and on this forum, you then go on to post that you are not interested in what a self confessed Rangers fan, who actually plays for Rangers, has to say.

[Smile 26,600]

I think Greg will do well at us experience of our league and a decent player.

[BlueSuedeSambas 53,753]

I’ve done a complete 180 on this signing tbh. The guy is technically talented and has a decent record with Dundee & Kilmarnock. He was shite at Aberdeen but they hardly play a style of football that helps technical players excel so they?

If he works hard to bring his fitness to a higher level and he gets opportunities I think he will be a decent addition. He gives us something completely different off the bench and that’s what we lacked last year.

[hammer93 15,056]

10 minutes ago, DBBTB said:

I’ve done a complete 180 on this signing tbh. The guy is technically talented and has a decent record with Dundee & Kilmarnock. He was shite at Aberdeen but they hardly play a style of football that helps technical players excel so they?

If he works hard to bring his fitness to a higher level and he gets opportunities I think he will be a decent addition. He gives us something completely different off the bench and that’s what we lacked last year.

This 100%....their will be plenty of games this season where Greg Stewart will make a difference....I don't see him as a 1st team regular but we will need him for certain games as a starter or from the bench.....2 games last season that I remember for the wrong reasons Dundee away 1-1 and St Johnstone at home 0-0...4pts dropped as we had no different cutting edge that day...those games are tailor made for Greg Stewart 

[Amokachi 2,990]

Also the kind of player who’ll get a starting opportunity in early round cup games.  

Looking forward to seeing him in a Rangers jersey.  

[Teddybear123 215]

Just got a feeling he’s going to surprise us all and smash it. 

[TopCat 4,511]

15 minutes ago, Teddybear123 said:

Just got a feeling he’s going to surprise us all and smash it. 

Same here mate........ let's hope he's a massive success.

[BookWorm 4,114]

I am looking forward to see him coming  back and being a huge success.

[slimjim1690 4,534]

Lots of punters thinking of him as an out and out winger, but he can also play just behind the striker, I believe that this may be the reason that Gerrard has signed him,  he looked really good for the first six months of the season last year for Kilmarnock in that role, then for whatever reason he went to the sheep who just hoofed the ball, on the couple of occasions he did play against us on the wing he roasted barasic (although that's no ringing endorsement I'll admit), but I'll keep my powder dry until I see him in action for us, here's hoping.

[rangerman 89]

7 hours ago, wully said:

I have no interest in what he has to say.

you seem like a moron to be honest kid

[6superbarry6 14,149]

Very underwhelming signing but I’ll give him a chance, here’s hoping he can be a creative spark and make a difference in some tight games.

[Escobar 13,676]

15 hours ago, Courtyard Bear said:

The fact he’s a Bear just makes you want him to succeed even more. 

Is Stewart the new Halliday. 

Hope not otherwise cunts on here will hate him for no reason.

[MarcusDa Beasley 1,026]

Hope the wee man does us a turn. The fact he clearly didn’t try a leg for the sheep just makes me like him more. 

[TMB 14,167]

I think it was @eskbankloyal who had an interesting stat about Stewart.  He was one of the best at pressing high up the pitch or something like that.  Obviously, if true, that would be something that appeals to a team who play a system like ours.

[Sash tap 90]

I think he’ll do quite well 

[GersInCanada 7,775]

In too many games last season the bench was threadbare with no potencial game changers on it leading to dropped points. Stewart will not start many games but like Hastie will lead to a stronger bench. sheep played him out of position but that's McInnes for you.

A low risk signing.

[WCPRANGERS1 2,997]

Just a gut feeling but I think he's gonna do quite well.