Rangers academy boss Craig Mulholland feels winning the Development League by not loaning out talented individuals would not have benefitted the youngsters at the club.

The Gers, who loaned out more players than usual last season, suffered in the league as a consequence.




Rangers finished the 2015/16 campaign in 13th spot with just 37 points from 32 games, 51 points adrift of champions Celtic.

However, starlets such as Ross McCrorie and Ryan Hardie gained valuable first team experience at Ayr United and Raith Rovers respectively.
 


And Mullholland, who believes Rangers would have challenged for the league title had they refrained from loaning out players, thinks the vital first team experience will help his charges in their development.

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Rangers’ youth chief then went on to add that development of players is more important to the club than winning youth league titles.

“It is different step for Rangers because traditionally we would be competing for the under 20 league and I think we finished middle to bottom of the Development League”, Mullholland told Rangers TV.

“That is a big step for us because people are used to seeing Rangers up there and had we kept Andy Murdoch, Ross McCrorie, Jordan Thompson, Ryan Hardie etc. then there is no doubt we would have competed for the league.

“We might have won the league but would it benefit the players? Probably not.

“I look at Ross McCrorie who went on loan to Ayr United and got promoted, you look at Ryan Hardie who scored six goals in 12 games at Raith Rovers and those experiences make them much better equipped players to come back and play in our first-team.”

Rangers managed to win 11 of their 32 games last season, while losing 17 of those.