Rangers goalkeeper Jack Butland used experience to get over Old Trafford turmoil

Rangers goalkeeper Jack Butland used all his experience to get over his Old Trafford turmoil last week.

The 31-year-old stopper, who has been capped nine times by England, had a loan spell at Manchester United before he joined the Light Blues in June 2023.

However, Thursday’s Europa League clash against the Red Devils was a personal nightmare for Butland – who recently recovered from a worrying leg injury – as he punched a corner into his own net to give the home side the lead and although Cyriel Dessers levelled late on, United skipper Bruno Fernandes restored United’s lead for a 2-1 win.

Ahead of the final Europa League group-phase game against Union Saint-Gilloise at Ibrox on Thursday night where both sides have qualified for the knockout play-offs, Butland revisited his United nightmare.

He said: “As a young keeper, you think you’re never going to make a mistake.

“You think it’s the end of the world when you do. The reality is there’s not a goalkeeper, there’s not a player alive, a person alive that’s never made a mistake before.

“They happen. What you do have to think about is how they happen, why they happen and if there’s any reasons for that.

“If those things happen while you’re trying to do the right things, while you’re trying to be positive and while you feel like you’ve made the right decision, then you just have to take it on the chin and just move on.

“Because even a game after, even within a game itself, there’s things that you have to do and that’s what I told myself in that moment.

“The goal goes in, you’re in disbelief in that moment, but there was still however long left on the clock and you always know there’s an opportunity for your team to get back in it, but you might be called upon again and you’ve got to do the next thing right.

“I look back on it as something I actually felt like I did after that.

“Like I said, that’s the life of being a goalkeeper. You can be the hero, the villain or you can be both in the same game and that’s just the reality of it.”

Meanwhile, Rangers have announced the appointment of Issame Charai as first-team assistant manager.

A statement on the club’s official website read: “Experienced coach Charai joins Gers from Ligue 1 side Strasbourg, having previously worked in the Belgian Pro League as an assistant manager and as manager of Morocco’s under-23 team, where he led them to the Under-23 African Cup of Nations title.

“His appointment comes as Rangers confirms the departure of men’s first-team assistant manager Andries Ulderink for personal reasons.

“Ulderink joined Gers in the summer, but now leaves Ibrox to return to the Netherlands due to a family situation.

“Everyone at Rangers wishes Andries well for his future and asks his privacy is respected at this time.”