New Rangers striker James Beattie is pleased to have secured a switch to Ibrox from Stoke City.
Gers forward completes switch from Potters
New Rangers striker James Beattie is pleased to have secured a switch to Ibrox from Stoke City.
The 32-year-old has moved to the Gers after falling down the pecking order at the Britannia Stadium following a bust-up with Tony Pulis last season.
The former Southampton, Blackburn, Everton and Sheffield United forward now has the chance to resurrect his career north of the border, and he is delighted at the move.
"I'm delighted to sign for such as club as Glasgow Rangers," he said.
"It's been quite a quick deal to be done as far as I was concerned. I came to Ibrox on Thursday morning, I was met by the gaffer (Walter Smith) and chief executive Martin Bain.
"I was shown around the stadium which is magnificent. It's the first time I've been there. You can see straight away it's a club steeped in history.
"To walk out even when the stadium was empty was quite something, I'm looking forward to walking out when it's full.
"I had quite a long chat with the gaffer and he spelled out what he wanted me to do and I told him what I wanted to come here and do.
"It was between the two clubs to settle on a fee and I'm glad to say that's all finished now and I'm sat here and I have signed. I'll probably get to know how big the club is as I play."
Expectation
Beattie becomes Rangers' first signing of the summer as the SPL champions have experienced severe financial problems.
He realises he carries the expectation of all the fans on his shoulders, but says it is nothing to be afraid of.
"The expectation and the demands that are going to be made of me were outlined by the gaffer when he talked to me," he added.
"That's something that I relish and I'm looking forward to very much. I suppose being a striker and a goalscorer there's always pressure on you to produce the goods and as I see it there's not better stage than this, playing for the biggest club in Scotland or maybe in Europe.
"It was an easy decision to leave Stoke as I wasn't required there anymore and when a club like Glasgow Rangers comes in and expresses their interest in you and you have a chat with someone like Walter Smith and you are shown round a stadium and the facilities...it makes everything else pretty easy."
