Rangers manager Steven Gerrard believes that young Dapo Mebude deserved his taste of senior team football away at Kilmarnock on Sunday afternoon.
Gerrard introduced Mebude in the 63rd minute of Rangers' 2-1 loss at Kilmarnock, with the youngster coming on in place of Daniel Candeias.
The 17-year-old has caught Gerrard's eye in first team training and the Rangers boss is hopeful a taste of senior action with spur the attacker on.
Gerrard has advised Mebude to knuckle down and kick on over the course of the coming pre-season.
"I think he deserves that with his play for the 18s, the 19s, the reserves and what he's shown in first team training", Gerrard told Rangers TV.
"Dapo's got a bright future.
"He needs to keep working hard now and pushing, and hopefully that taste today [and hopefully] he has a strong pre-season and hopefully that can be the first of many", the Gers boss added.
The loss at Rugby Park means Rangers failed to complete a clean sweep of wins in the post-split schedule, but the Gers still notched six victories in a row prior to the defeat against Steve Clarke's men.
Rangers will now rest up ahead of a pre-season return and an early start to Europa League qualifying.
