Perry Willing To Pay Back Part Of His Debt To Rangers

28 June 2012 21:13
Thirteen players headed to Murray Park for pre-season training. Hardly enough to get a game of fives organised

Ross Perry was one of 13 players who turned up for pre-season training with newco Rangers because he still feels a debt of gratitude to the old club. Perry's Ibrox contract is set to end at the completion of season 2014-15 and he believes he still has plenty to offer during that period. The defender said: "I've been here since I was 11 or 12 years old and Rangers have been there for my whole football career. They've been great to me and I think I owe them. I played a little bit last season but I think I've got a lot more to give. Hopefully over the next season or two I can do that. This is my sixth or seventh year as a professional and it has been great here. The manager and the staff have been here for the majority of that time and I've loved every minute of it. Obviously some of the boys have felt the need to go elsewhere but I'm comfortable here and I'm happy here." Others arriving at Murray park today were Scotland internationals Kirk Broadfoot, Lee McCulloch and Lee Wallace plus goalkeepers Neil Alexander and Scott Gallacher along with Murray Park graduates Perry, Kyle Hutton, Kal Naismith, Darren Cole and Kane Hemmings. Free agents Andrew Mitchell, Salim Kerkar and Chris Hegarty - whose contracts wee up at the end of the season - also reported for fitness tests and their immediate future remains unclear. The club said Dorin Goian and Alejandro Bedoya were not due back today while Maurice Edu and Carlos Bocanegra were also given extra time off after playing for USA in World Cup qualifiers. At least 10 players have voiced their intentions not to the transfer their contracts to the new company amid continued uncertainty over which division the club will play in next season. John Fleck and Juan Manuel Ortiz, who both spent the second half of last season on loan, joined Rhys McCabe, Sone Aluko, Steven Naismith, Steven Whittaker, Kyle Lafferty, Allan McGregor, Steven Davis and Jamie Ness in objecting to the transfer of their contracts. In a statement, Rangers chairman Malcolm Murray said: "It was extremely disappointing that a number of players have chosen to leave the club. It was disrespectful to everyone at Rangers and to the fans not to be honest about the financial gain they will receive in return for walking away from the club that has supported them over many years. Let's be clear, the clauses they and their agents negotiated in return for the temporary wage cut during administration, would have enabled them to easily move on from Rangers with our blessing. Their actions have deprived the club of significant transfer fee income. The rest of the staff at Ibrox and Murray Park have got on with the job asked of them and it is extremely encouraging to see other players who were due back at Murray Park today, arrive as planned. As a lifelong fan, I would personally like to thank those players and staff for their loyalty and commitment to the club and I look forward to meeting the squad when they are all back from their holidays."

Source: FOOTYMAD