George Edmundson: Rangers defender’s astonishing rise from defeat at Bury to a rock in Braga - in 12 months

Young defender catapulted from English fourth tier to facing Europe’s top teams

George Edmundson, centre, acknowledges the Rangers fans following the win in Braga. Picture: Luis Vieira/AP

One year ago, he was playing for Oldham Athletic at Gigg Lane against a team that has now gone to the wall.

On Wednesday night George Edmundson stood as strong as the rock face looming over one of the most unusual amphitheatres in European football.

The young defender’s journey from playing against Bury to man of the match in Braga was one of the most compelling narratives from Rangers’ 1-0 win in Portugal.

Rangers' George Edmundson delivering a towering performance in the Europa League win over Braga in Portugal. Picture: Miguel Riopa/AFP via Getty Images

Steven Gerrard said it would be a night for men before the Ibrox side succeeded in reaching the last 16. At just 22, Edmundson is barely that.

Gerrard later admitted the inexperienced centre-half was thrown in at the deep end. It wasn’t as if the manager was forced to make this decision. Niko Katic has been unconvincing of late.

However, few truly expected the Croatian to make way for an even younger player with only 11 first-team appearances for Rangers to his name.

Twelve months ago this week Edmundson remembers flogging a goal at Bury for Oldham in a 3-1 defeat in League Two.

George Edmundson, left, in action for former club Oldham Athletic. Picture: Pete Norton/Getty Images

“It’s quite a contrast from Braga’s stadium to Gigg Lane, although the atmosphere at Gigg Lane was always good with the Oldham fans,” said Edmundson from inside the bowels of the stadium.

Team-mates passed by and slapped his back as he spoke. Edmundson is known as the Fridge at Ibrox for his ice-cool demeanour under pressure and possibly also because of his large frame.

“It’s still quite a turnaround but I feel like I’ve still got a lot more to give,” he continued. “Hopefully I can keep improving. You never know where I’ll end up but I’m not getting too ahead of myself.”

Despite having to deal with his own disappointment, Katic was encouraging.

“All the centre-backs have a really good relationship and we know we’re all fighting for two spots and whoever gets them, we’re not the type of guys to be bitter,” said Edmundson.

“Niko came up to me and wished me all the best. He told me to do what I normally do and when Niko plays I do the same for him. There’s no hard feelings, we want each other do well.”

The question now is whether Edmundson can maintain his form and place in the side, probably at Katic’s expense.

Only once, earlier this month, has he started successive games for Rangers. Hearts in the Scottish Cup tomorrow night will be a very different game to Braga.

He is surely set to retain his place after such a commanding performance against one of the best teams in Portugal. He was primed for a potential start on Wednesday shortly after the draw in Perth.

“I found out a couple of days before that there was a chance I would be playing because the gaffer said: ‘Be ready - you never know, you might be playing’,” he said.

“I get more excited than nervous,” he added. “I just want to get out and show people what I can do.

“The challenge was different to the Scottish Premiership in that it was more technical and positional as opposed to winning big headers.” 
He was helped throughout by what Gerrard described as a “captain’s performance” from centre-half partner Connor Goldson. “Connor is massive for me,” said Edmundson.

“He took me under his wing and helps me every day. He’s a top professional and he helps me through games so I’m really fortunate to have him by my side.

“I hope this is the start of a run in the team,” he added. “Obviously everyone is competing for places so I’m sure whoever the gaffer picks will get the job done.

“When we play in Europe and in the league then it’s two different challenges. We stepped up in Braga on Wednesday. We need to make sure we do it domestically.”

Edmundson certainly seemed to relish the European stage, something he has tasted only twice before, in this season’s Europa League qualifiers against St Joseph’s and Progres Nierderkorn.

“Braga were a different proposition to those teams. He rose to the challenge.

“I was a Manchester City fan but never got the chance to watch them in Europe because I was always playing football so European football is a new experience,” said Edmundson.

“I always had training in midweek when City were playing in Europe. My dad’s a Bolton fan and used to take me to a few of their games and I watched them when Jay-Jay Okocha was playing.”

Remarkably, Rangers are just three steps from reaching the final and emulating what they achieved under Walter Smith in 2008 in Edmundson’s home city.

“I was only about ten years old,” he said. “I remember reading about it in the newspapers.”

His family have surely already pasted the reports from yesterday’s papers into a scrapbook. It probably won’t contain a cutting from a night at Gigg Lane when the prospect of a European final in Gdansk could not have been further from Edmundson’s mind.