From Rangers to Johnstone Burgh: Kyle Lafferty rediscovers the soul of football as club raise over £500 for charity

“I’ve never felt a connection like it to the community. If there’s any problems on or off the pitch, the community is out in full force to help the club.” Kyle Lafferty has played for some of the biggest names in Scottish football: Rangers, Hearts, and Kilmarnock, as well as respected European clubs like Sion, Linfield, and Palermo.  But now, at 37, he’s experiencing football at a different level: one that’s smaller in terms of publicity or monetary value, but richer in meaning. One at a level where the connection between players and supporters feels tighter, more genuine, and more fulfilling. Eyebrows were raised in the summer of 2023 when Lafferty, alongside former Rangers teammate Graham Dorrans, signed for then-seventh-tier Scottish side Johnstone Burgh. Many dismissed it as a publicity stunt or a marketing ploy. But nothing could be further from the truth. An 89-times capped Northern Ireland international, Lafferty has found a home at Keanie Park. His influence, both on and off the pitch, is clear. At the club’s Summer Fayre last Saturday, he could be seen walking the ground, chatting with fans, and posing for photos, embodying the spirit of a club deeply rooted in its community. Fresh off scoring the winning penalty in Johnstone Burgh’s 4–2 shootout victory over Tranent in the Scottish Junior Cup final, after a 1–1 draw in regular time, Lafferty and the club have taken that victory back to where it matters most: the community. The famous old trophy has been paraded through local businesses, schools, and care homes, allowing fans of all ages to share in the joy of the club’s first Junior Cup win since 1968. Despite a typically Scottish downpour on Saturday, the day following rays of Sunshine. The Burgh’s supporters made the most of it and still turned out in numbers, raising £500 for the Renfrewshire Food Bank and RAMH, two vital organisations supporting the area’s most vulnerable. Lafferty is proud to be part of a team that gives back. “Supporting the charities that we are today is really important, all of them are important,” he said. “You’ll find that mental health has been spoken about a lot more in recent years. The club is always behind any charity that comes knocking, and the players are right behind any cause that needs a hand.” Manager Murdo MacKinnon, the first man since Peter Donald to bring the Junior Cup back to the club, was equally passionate, insisting that the club’s greatest success isn’t silverware, but its connection with supporters and its role in the community. “This is the heartbeat of the community, and we want to make it just that,” MacKinnon said. “We want to do as much as we can. That was emphasised to me the minute I came through the door: this is about the community, and about everyone in it. “Today has been a great event, it’s fantastic, really well organised, and I’m delighted to be part of it. But it’s also something we do regularly.  “We engage with partner charities; we engage with the community. We know that people face real challenges nowadays, and if we, as a club, can help with those challenges and give people somewhere they can come, feel part of something, and feel at home, then that’s what we’ll do. “We’ll always strive for that. It’s a major driver for our club. The community is at the heart of everything we do, and we won’t forget that.” One man who understands that bond better than most is Chairman Brian Williams. A lifelong Burgh supporter, he was overcome with emotion when his side lifted the cup. “I listened to the stories of ’64 and ’68 when we won it before,” he said with a huge grin. “But to actually experience that and bring it back for the people of Johnstone, the community is electric at the moment. “The community stepped up today. It was chucking it down with rain at 12, and some of the vendors didn’t stay.  “But the people still turned up. It’s been a successful day for everyone who’s run the fayre.” Now competing in the West of Scotland Premier Division, Scottish football’s sixth tier, Johnstone Burgh is a club on the rise, on and off the pitch.  They may boast a household name in Kyle Lafferty, but there are no egos here. Just a good, honest, community-rooted football club giving back to the people who stood by them through tough times. And now that success has returned to Keanie Park, they’ve made one thing clear: they haven’t forgotten who the real heartbeat of this club is—and who backed them when the club needed it most.

Rangers fans ‘can be excited’ after Max Aarons joins on loan

Rangers have completed the signing of Max Aarons from Bournemouth on loan until the end of the season. The full-back becomes Russell Martin’s first signing since taking charge of the Ibrox club. Aarons, 25, won the English Championship with Norwich City on two occasions and helped the England U21’s win the European Championship in 2023 and will be looking to make an impact at the Light Blues. Speaking to the official Rangers club website, the right-back said he can bring a ‘new energy’ to the team, he said: “I am delighted to be here, as you can see it’s a huge club and you realise that when you walk through the doors, I can’t wait to get going. “I’ve got a lot of experience now in different leagues and I have played a lot of games. I think I can bring that experience, I can bring a new energy, and I think Rangers fans can be excited – I am really looking forward to it.” New boss Martin also told the official Rangers club website that he watched Aarons’ development whilst he was coming through the youth ranks at the Canaries and believes he will be a success at the Govan club: “Max is a player who I have always kept a keen eye on since he was emerging through the youth ranks while I was coming to the end of my time at Norwich as a player. He is a wonderfully talented player who is hungry to develop, improve and help deliver success for his side. “We are pleased to bring him on board for this season, and I believe he will be a fantastic addition to the squad.”    

Livingston annouce the signing of Jannik Wanner

Livingston have today announced the signing of the German attacker. Wanner joins the West Lothian side on a three-year contract, having signed for an undisclosed fee. The 25-year-old joins from Austrian club SKU Amstetten, where he scored 10 goals in 32 appearances for the side. Wanner has experience playing in both the German and Austrian leagues. The winger becomes Livingston’s eighth signing this summer.