Rangers goalkeeping coach Jim Stewart believes Jak Alnwick’s experience of being at Newcastle United will stand him in good stead at Ibrox, while he also revealed he took soundings about the goalkeeper from people surprised he left St. James' Park.
Matt Gilks left Rangers to join Wigan in the January transfer window and the Gers moved quickly to secure the signature of Alnwick from Port Vale on the last day of the window.
With Gilks in his mid-30s, Stewart feels bringing in the 23-year-old Alnwick is better for the goalkeeping future of Rangers, but he insisted that the current Wigan man still has a few years left in the tank.
The Rangers goalkeeping coach is of the opinion that with Alnwick already experiencing a big club such as Newcastle United, it will stand him in good stead at Ibrox and revealed that people he spoke to were surprised the shot-stopper headed to Port Vale.
When asked whether Alnwick’s arrival is very much with an eye on the future, Stewart said on the Rangers Podcast: “Very much so.
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“Matty, no disrespect to him, was 30 odd; he will play for another seven to eight years, but it was a good move for the club.
“Jak is young; he has the experience of being at Newcastle who are a massive club.
"He knows the workings of a big club and obviously the people I spoke to did say that they were surprised when he did leave Newcastle and moved on to Port Vale."
Stewart though feels the switch to Port Vale proved to be good for Alnwick.
“I think it kind of worked for him because he ended up playing 70 odd games for Port Vale at a very good standard.”
