- Source: Ross McCrorie
Ross McCrorie (born 18 March 1998) is a Scottish professional footballer who plays as a right-back, right wing-back, or defensive midfielder for EFL Championship club Bristol City and the Scotland national team.
McCrorie has previously played for Rangers, Ayr United, Dumbarton, Portsmouth and Aberdeen. He captained the Scotland under-21 team, and made his full international debut for Scotland in 2024.
Club career
= Early careers and loans out
=McCrorie, alongside his twin brother Robby (a goalkeeper), worked his way through the Rangers youth system, becoming captain of their U20s side. McCrorie joined Scottish League One side Ayr United on loan in February 2016, playing fifteen times and scoring twice as Ayr won promotion.
After signing a new contract in December 2016, at the same time as his brother, he joined his former coach at Rangers, Ian Durrant, at Scottish Championship side Dumbarton on a loan deal until the end of the season.
= Rangers first breakthrough
=McCrorie made his debut for the Rangers senior team in September 2017, when he replaced Bruno Alves in a League Cup quarter-final against Partick Thistle at Firhill Stadium, won 3–1 after extra time. Following the match, manager Pedro Caixinha praised McCrorie, stating that he was "going to be the future of this country, not only this club, as a centre-half. We are very glad to have him with us". Later in the same week he made his first start – also his Scottish Premiership debut and maiden experience of the Old Firm derby – against Celtic at Ibrox. Rangers lost the match 2–0, but McCrorie's performance was reported favourably by the press and both Rangers and Celtic fans.
McCrorie scored his first senior goal for Rangers with a header in the first half against Partick Thistle on 4 November 2017 at Ibrox; Rangers won the match 3–0. On 3 December he was deployed as a defensive midfielder in a fixture away to Aberdeen, which his team won to overtake their opponents into second place in the table. On 28 December he signed a new four-year contract. After he scored an important goal in the second visit to Aberdeen in May 2018, McCrorie received praise from both the Pittodrie boss Derek McInnes and the Rangers caretaker manager Jimmy Nicholl for his overall performance and influence in bringing his team back into the match; the player himself dedicated the strike to his dying grandmother.
Loan to Portsmouth
In July 2019, McCrorie agreed a deal to move to English club Portsmouth on loan for the 2019–20 season; it was reported that Pompey had an option to buy him outright, but this was refuted by Rangers manager Steven Gerrard a few days later. He made his competitive debut for Pompey on 3 August, a 1–0 defeat away at Shrewsbury Town, during which he was sent off in the 81st minute for a late challenge on Shrewsbury's Donald Love.
= Aberdeen
=On 17 August 2020, McCrorie joined Aberdeen, initially on a one-year loan, with an obligation to buy for a reported fee of around £350,000. A clause in the deal meant he would not be eligible to play against his 'parent club' during the 2020–21 Scottish Premiership campaign, although he would not return to Rangers before becoming a permanent Aberdeen signing. The deal was made permanent on 1 February 2021, ahead of schedule, as Scott Wright moved in the opposite direction.
= Bristol City
=On 6 June 2023, McCrorie joined Bristol City on a three-year deal with the option of a further year, for an undisclosed fee. After an injury lay off Ross McCrorrie made his debut for City in a 2–0 loss away at Preston on 13 January 2024.
International career
With his brother Robby, Scotland U16 won the Victory Shield in 2013–14, and were selected for Scotland U17 in the 2015 UEFA European U-17 Championship
McCrorie was named in the Scotland U19 squad for the elite round of the European Championships in March 2017 alongside Dumbarton teammate Daniel Harvie. He had captained the side in the qualifying phase of the tournament. He also captained the Scotland U21 team on several occasions.
Selected for the under-20 squad in the 2017 Toulon Tournament. The team went on to claim the bronze medal. It was the nations first ever medal at the competition.
McCrorie received his first call-up to the senior Scotland squad in October 2020. He was called up again in June 2023 for games against Norway and Georgia.
McCrorie made his debut on 3 June 2024 in a friendly against Gibraltar.
Career statistics
= Club
=As of 5 June 2023
Honours
Ayr United
Scottish Championship Play-offs: 2015–16
Scotland U16
Victory Shield: 2013–14
References
External links
Ross McCrorie at Soccerbase
Ross McCrorie at the Scottish Football Association