Allow me to tell you a tale of Robby McCrorie, a man born into the beautiful, brutal ballet that is Scottish football. Residing in the realm of the Rangers since he was an embryo of a player in July 2015, he embarked initially on a journey of one(s), as in one first team appearance each in the Rangers’ Premiership seasons of 2021 - 2022 and 2022 - 2023 according to Transfermarkt. A novel turn, you might agree.
By July 2017, our footballing hero started seeking experience points elsewhere and took a sabbatical down to Berwick Rangers in the Lowland League, without having to cross the border. The 2017 - 2018 season saw him make 19 appearances, if you can believe it. But, like a culinary delicacy from Glasgow, all good things must come to an end, and he returned to the Premiership with Rangers in June 2018. Same old one song and dance, with trivial single appearances in the seasons of 2021 - 2022 and 2022 - 2023.
In January 2019, McCrorie stepped into the championship mix, taking up gloves at Greenock Morton. Perhaps the scenery did little to inspire, or maybe the pies weren’t up to standard. We can only speculate as only months later, in July 2019, he journeyed on loan to Queen of the South, frolicking in Scotland’s League One.
An established nomad by January 2020, he tangoed his way into another loan spell with Livingston in the Championship. Seemingly a better fit, he strung eight appearances in the 2019 - 2020 season and 16 in 2020 - 2021. If you’re keeping score, that’s well over his usual one-measure, indicating the lad was shifting gears. Alas, the allure of his original homestead was too strong, and by June 2020 he was back with Rangers, settling into his one-appearance groove.
Perhaps suffering from wanderlust, or just fizzing his lines, July 2020 had him running back to Livingston on loan. His appearances remained above par for the seasons of 2019 - 2020 and 2020 - 2021, until eventually, Rangers lured him back by June 2021.
Come July 2024, McCrorie's well-stamped passport added a new stamp with a transfer to Kilmarnock in the Premiership for an undisclosed fee. As the current season rolls on, he has managed a couple of appearances, inching towards his traditional McCrorie measure.
One can hope for a change of fate for this caged bird of the Scottish Premiership. Or we can happily continue to watch the one-song dance, year after year. What a marvellous tragi-comedy this game of footie is.
