RANGERS supporters want a safe pair of hands in charge of their club.
In former goalkeeper Andrew Cavenagh, they’ve found them, according to his American college team coach.
Andrew Cavenagh has been spotted at Ibrox earlier this season, in talks with former chairman John Gilligan[/caption]
Swathmore Halcyon with prospective buyer for Rangers Andrew Cavenagh (second from left)[/caption]
Wayne McKinney was stunned to learn his old No 1 is fronting an Ibrox takeover, alongside the 49ers Enterprises group.
The 71-year-old coached Cavenagh at the prestigious Swarthmore College in Pennsylvania and remembers him as a bright pupil and talented keeper.
McKinney believes the future Gers owner could have made the grade at pro level had he pursued a career in the game.
Instead, Cavenagh moved into health insurance and amassed the fortune that will help the US-based consortium take control at Ibrox.
McKinney, who did his coaching badges at Largs with ex-Gers gaffer Alex McLeish, is thrilled to see his old player involved.
He told SunSport: “I have had a personal link to Scottish football since starting my SFA badges in 1991 and Rangers are my team.
“A friend used to bring me medallions and other club merchandise over and I would put them on show behind the bar in my house.
“So I’m familiar with the rivalry between the two Old Firm teams. Oh my, that is something else!
“I always want to see Rangers do well, although I’m aware things haven’t been great for them recently.
“When I then heard Andrew was involved in a takeover, though? Wow. This came out of nowhere for me.
“I haven’t seen him in a very long time, but I have fantastic memories of those days at Swarthmore.
“As a college, it attracts the best of the best students. I’m talking about those with perfect high-school grades. Kids come from all over America to study there and they are all very gifted academically.
“But sport is important to the college and I became coach of the soccer team in 1991.
“Andrew had been in the team for a few years by then and I quickly realised he was the true leader. He was a stud. A real man’s man.
“I remember when I first took over as coach, people would say to me, ‘You’re going to love Andrew’.
“He was a big guy and a very good goalkeeper.
“Andrew was an old-school player. He liked getting stuck in and he will love Scottish football for its passion.
“He always gave everything for the team and I couldn’t speak highly enough of him.
Health insurance tycoon Cavenagh is one of the main men in Rangers’ takeover with 49ers Enterprises[/caption]
He’s also been spotted with 49ers president Paraag Marathe at Gers clash with Man Utd[/caption]
“Why soccer? He just loved the game. I can’t remember him playing another sport at Swarthmore.
“He was talented and enthusiastic and I’m sure he will have the same energy with this venture.”
Cavenagh holds Swarthmore shut-out records and was also inducted into a Hall of Fame team back in 2017.
But it was his leadership skills that stood out most for McKinney and he can see why they have transferred into the business environment.
He said: “Andrew was the leader in that squad, it was undisputed.
“Our relationship grew during our time together and he never disappointed.
“Like the rest of his team-mates he was very clever and I’m not surprised that he became successful in his chosen industry.
“Once these guys graduated from Swarthmore, they had their pick of wherever they wanted to go.
“But I’m convinced Andrew could have played at a very good level as a goalkeeper if he had gone down that path.
“He was talented, but I understand why he chose to study and it’s clear now that it was the right choice for him. Andrew was always going to succeed in whatever he did and it’s great to see him in this position to be helping to take control of Rangers.
“Given our connection back at Swarthmore, it has blown me away that he now wants to own such a massive club.
“But it’s great and it will give me even more reason to cheer on Rangers in coming seasons.”
McKinney is a respected coach in the States and only retired last year after devoting most of his life to the game.
Who owns Rangers?
As the San Francisco 49ers pursue potential investment in Rangers, SunSport looks at who own the biggest blocks of shares at Ibrox
Dave King 12.96%
Borita Investments & Perron Investment (owned by directors Julian Wolhardt and John Halsted) 12.69%
Douglas Park 11.54%
George Taylor 10.22%
Stuart Gibson 9.53%
John Bennett 7.11%
He has been inducted into three different halls of fame but credits a lot of his success to his summers spent on those SFA coaching courses.
And he was devastated to learn of the 2023 death of Craig Brown, with whom he worked closely at Largs.
McKinney added: “I had no idea until I was watching a game and a tribute came on. I shouted ‘That’s Craig!’.
“I was so sad to hear he had passed away. He was a father figure to me and a complete gentleman. I still cherish those days with the SFA down in Largs and I feel privileged to hold the Advanced A qualification.
“It came about when my own coaching mentor, Bob Urban, met Andy Roxburgh at a convention in Philadelphia.
“They got talking and Andy suggested that he send over two or three of his coaches for the courses.
“I started in 1991 and finished my badges in 1994 and I loved every second of those days.
“Andy and Craig shaped my coaching career. It was amazing to learn from them.
“I was on the course with guys like Alex McLeish, Gordon Rae and Alan Sneddon. Jim Fleeting, Jim Fleming and Jimmy Bone were the coaches assigned to us.
“I learned so much and I know that getting such a respected qualification helped me in so many ways during my career.
“I was able to expose players, like Andrew at Swarthmore, to the Scottish football way. It was an honour to be part of it.”
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