A County Antrim teenager has hailed the influence of fellow Northern Ireland man Ross McCausland as he continues his own fledgling Rangers career.

Callum Burnside joined the Ibrox club's academy full-time in the summer of 2023 having come through the youth ranks at Ballymena United and Linfield.

The recently-turned 18-year-old - who is one of many success stories to come through the Irish FA's JD Academy - has hit the ground running since moving to Glasgow, and has become a regular in Steven Smith’s Under-18 side this season.

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Burnside first linked up with the Gers as a 16-year-old, having impressed in a number of trials with the Old Firm giants including guest appearances at the SuperCupNI.

He is following a similar path to first-teamer McCausland, who has also made his senior debut for Northern Ireland.

Burnside recently opened up on the regular chats he has with McCausland at Rangers, and how much his Northern Irish compatriot has helped him settle into life at the club.

The Ballymena teenager told the official Rangers website: “Ross used to always come round and speak to me about how I’m getting on and if I’m enjoying it. He always told me that I could speak to him if I had any problems and that he would always be around the club.

"He even offered me to stay at his house and that’s just what he’s like with everyone. I had been over [to Rangers] training quite a bit, and I had Mason [Munn] and Ross over here.

“They helped me a lot when I first came over, and Ross always used to be at my digs a lot as he used to stay there before me. I knew Mason through the Northern Ireland youth set-up too.

“I definitely would have struggled [without those two]. You don’t tend to speak to everyone when you first come over and knowing I could speak to Blaine [McClure], Mason and Ross was good.

“It was helpful them being here."

Burnside says he takes inspiration from McCausland's rise through the ranks at Rangers.

He added: “Ross was with the B Team when I first came in and it just shows what can happen when you put in the hard work to get round to the first-team. There’s definitely a chance of getting into the first-team.

“What Ross has done is unbelievable and I just want to follow in his footsteps.”

Burnside has already trained with Philippe Clement's first-team this season. It is reward for the form he has shown for the Under 18s, who are targeting success in the CAS Elite Under-18 League. He was also part of the squad that lifted the Glasgow Cup back in December.

“I think I’ve improved into a more complete player and I can play in a lot of different positions. I’ve played in a few roles already for Rangers," he said.

“There’s a higher physical demand when you move up a level and the speed of the players is different entirely. You don’t get as much as time on the ball at a higher level, but I do enjoy my time with the Under-18s as I can express myself and do what I can do.

“It's all about learning and hopefully the next step is the first-team."

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