Welcome To Rangers, Matt Gilks

[Number5 2,128]

2 minutes ago, Goianegra said:

Literally got a better backup GK who will be on similar wages. What's not to be happy about?

It's good if your happy to have Wes as your No.1.

Think a few of us were expecting a GK to come in and challenge Wes more.

[big blue Fin 3,724]

Foderingham isn't bad but can be a bit shaky at times. It makes sense to have an experienced backup for him.

Good Luck Matt hope you like it here.

[FlippinEck 3,709]

I trust Jim Stewart, who will have worked with him before  

[John Greig's Sideburns 177]

[Bears r us 30,858]

Welcome. 

[VladimirWeiss69 807]

Now that's the keeper done, time for a centreback, cover for fullbacks and a striker 

[GOAT 30,449]

46 minutes ago, Sket said:

You'll moan regardless.

I haven't had a decent moan in a month, and before that it was a year.  Sometimes I deserve a moan, signing a 34 year old goalkeeper as back up to a shite goalkeeper deserves a moan.

[Courtyard Bear 41,357]

Welcome Matt

[Gartsherriederry 81]

25 minutes ago, FlippinEck said:

I trust Jim Stewart, who will have worked with him before  

Another goalie coached to be rooted to his line at cross balls then ?

[cstamomusa 3,811]

Welcome Matt. 

[WeirFleckNRothen 1,789]

A welcome addition to the squad; English Premier League experience cannot be underestimated.

I'm assuming he'll start the season behind Foderingham, but could be wrong. If he's to stake his claim for the goalie's jersey, then he'll need to familiarise himself with keeping the ball on the deck and distributing it by foot. That was a refreshing pleasure last season and the thought of our 'keeper hopelessly punting it up in the air fills me with dread.

I'd be interested to hear how Foderingham is feeling right now. I have no doubt that Warburton will have spoken to him, reassured him, etc., but his opinion would be interesting,

On a side note, I'd like to see young Liam Kelly sent out on loan, again. I understand he had a successful spell at East Fife (I think it was them) last season, so stepping-up a league would be excellent exposure. With young 'keepers, I always keep in mind that McGregor (The rat that bailed on us) was 24/25 when le Guen handed him the gloves.

[Prso's headband 35,688]

18 minutes ago, GOAT said:

I haven't had a decent moan in a month, and before that it was a year.  Sometimes I deserve a moan, signing a 34 year old goalkeeper as back up to a shite goalkeeper deserves a moan.

Wes is far from shite. I think most of the poor goals we conceded this season were down to the defence. He won us a good few points throughout the season and put in a good performance against cellic. I think his performance's against cellic, st mirren and falkirk away when he saved us from getting a doing is what we will see a lot more of next season with a good defence infront of him

[Jimbo82 79]

42 minutes ago, FlippinEck said:

I trust Jim Stewart, who will have worked with him before  

This, Now we have experience all the way down the spine. Not saying they will all play, but influencing a young squad alongside adding some well needed depth. Can now go full tilt at the title!

[ready1873 3,893]

What's with all the 'not happy about this' pish? Fucking lighten up. He's a solid back up and should drive Wes on.

 

[the goal machine 7,810]

Not a huge fan of Wes and would have preferred a younger, potential first choice keeper. However, it looks like Foderingham will be first choice for the foreseeable future so hopefully he can prove me wrong.

Gilks is a good keeper and a handy guy for Foderingham to learn from. A squad needs good pros like him and Hill so I think this could be a shrewd move.

Welcome Matt!

[Gman36 3,456]

1 hour ago, John Greig's Sideburns said:

Welcome to rangers a young kris boyd 

[Goianegra 4,686]

1 hour ago, Number5 said:

It's good if your happy to have Wes as your No.1.

Think a few of us were expecting a GK to come in and challenge Wes more.

I totally agree it would have been nice to have someone like Bentley come in and challenge, but Gilks is definitely a step up and has the ability to step up. I'm a fan of Wes, find him rather underrated and think we should put what money we have towards other positions.

[FSM 20,892]

Someone else we've probably promised a coaching role to in order to get them here?

[bombaybadboy08 15,660]

I won't join the clamber for a new white Number 1 between the sticks, I'm sure this guy has been brought in to pile pressure on Wes-Dawg though.

 

[Dan Deacon 55,541]

Emdy got a song written for him yet? Usually get a good laugh at the pathetic attempts. 

[the goal machine 7,810]

3 minutes ago, Dan Deacon said:

Emdy got a song written for him yet? Usually get a good laugh at the pathetic attempts. 

Mind the Milk, Lemonade, Chocolate sketch from Chewin the Fat? Replace milk with Gilks. Done.

 

[BallochBear 1,613]

Welcome to the world's most successful club Matt.

Bloody hell, how many is that now, I'm losing count. 

[LeeWallaceRFC 3,920]

Quote

MATT GILKS could not hide his joy and excitement after he signed a two-year deal with Rangers today.

The 6′ 1″ Scotland goalkeeper was looking for a new challenge after being released by Burnley at the end of the 2015/16 season, and SPFL Premiership side Hearts were interesting in bringing him north of the border.

But with Cammy Bell moving to Dundee United a gap appeared in the Rangers squad and a phone call from goalkeeping coach Jim Stewart gave Gilks hope that a dream move to Ibrox could be on the cards.

That switch has now become a reality and the 34-year-old shotstopper could not be happier.

He said: “It’s fantastic. As soon as the phone call was made to me by Jim Stewart my eyes lit up when I saw his name.

“I thought ‘oh please be asking me’, so I’m absolutely delighted to be here.

It’s a great set-up, it’s a fantastic club and I’m glad I’m a part of it.

“It’s the biggest club I’ll play for and it’s such an attraction, you really don’t want anything else other than to get here and get started, which is what I did.

“I came on Wednesday, did a medical and thankfully signed the papers this morning.”

Matt admits he was surprised when Stewart asked him about a possible move to Rangers during that initial call.

He joked: “Yeah, I was thinking he might be asking me if there were any goalies I know who would fancy it!

“But thankfully he mentioned about me coming up and I’ve known Jim obviously through the Scotland set-up, he’s a fantastic bloke.

“I trust him and I know he’s got my best interests at heart as well.”

Gilks played for Burnley against Rangers in a pre-season friendly last summer, with Sean Dyche’s side winning 1-0 on that occasion.

That game gave Matt the opportunity to run out in front of a packed Ibrox Stadium and he hopes to experience that again in the near future.

He added: “You walk in the front door and the history of the club hits you, it’s a fantastic stadium.

“I think we beat you 1-0 on that night, but if I wasn’t here now I would still be proud to say I played at Ibrox, be it a pre-season friendly.

“It doesn’t matter, it’s one of those grounds that I think you aspire to play at and a club to play for like Rangers.”

http://rangers.co.uk/news/headlines/thrilled-to-be-here/

[LeeWallaceRFC 3,920]

Quote

NEW signing Matt Gilks admits he will have no problem settling in at Rangers, as he knows several of the players in Mark Warburton’s squad from his previous years in football.

The experienced goalkeeper – who has played for Rochdale, Norwich City, Blackpool, Burnley and also Scotland – has worked closely with Rangers coach Jim Stewart with the national team, but he’s also rubbed shoulders on more than one occasion with players he will now call team-mates at Ibrox.

Speaking to RangersTV, he explained: “I know quite a few of the players from the Scotland set-up and I played with Danny Wilson and Andy Halliday at Blackpool.

“So I know a lot of them, including David Weir as well previously with Scotland.

It’s not a home from home but it’s not like coming in for your first day at school where you don’t know anybody.

“I’m kind of hitting the ground running in that respect, rather than getting to know everybody, so it will make it slightly easier for me.”

Kenny Miller is another player Matt has played with and admired from past Scotland squads and he believes the experience the striker has – and the experience several of the club’s recent signings have – will be hugely beneficial for Rangers in the SPFL Premiership.

He said: “I always use an example of when I was first in the Scotland squad with Kenny Miller and Darren Fletcher.

“I saw them train and I thought I was doing well at the time, but it really made me think ‘this is another level now’.

“I watched them train and the enthusiasm and the endeavor that they still have at their age and at their stage of the careers, after everything they’ve achieved, is great.

“I think the additions we are making to the squad now [at Rangers], the young lads here are going to benefit massively from it.”

One of those additions is Joey Barton and Matt has nothing but praise for the midfielder he regards as a friend following their spell together at Burnley.

He added: “I know Joey very well. We got on really well at Burnley actually and he probably helped me through the last year.

“He’s a great guy and I think he’s one of the most misunderstood footballers that has ever played.

“He’s very intelligent, he’s a very good footballer and he absolutely loves the game.

“The experience and what he can bring to this team, you can’t buy that.

“At Burnley he was the one that kept saying ‘we’re going to win the league lads, we’re going to win the league’.

He said it every week, every day and hey presto we did win the league and he was a massive, massive part of that.”

http://rangers.co.uk/news/headlines/i-already-feel-home/

[SeparateEntityMyArse 53,983]

Speaks well of the club and squad. Seems really up for it.

I don't think 34 is old at all for a keeper.

I think if Fod made mistakes last year there was no confidence in Bell, so he retained his place.  Doubt that will be the case now and the man in form and in the Jersey will keep it. The way it should be.