Jack Butland on McGregor, his dressing room voice and Rangers switch

As Allan McGregor bids an emotional farewell to bring the curtain down on his career, Jack Butland will begin the next chapter in his own tale by making his Rangers debut.

At 30, Butland has seen and done plenty in the game during his days in the Premier League, Championship and the England international fold.

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He has no first hand experience of life in Glasgow and in the Old Firm bubble, though. And that is where his predecessor will come in later this month.

In terms of a sounding board and a mentor, there is nobody better for Butland to be able to call on as he prepares to fill the number one jersey that McGregor vacated when he retired at the end of the season.

That situation is nothing new to Butland. All keepers that have played for Stoke are measured against the bar that Gordon Banks set and Butland himself was touted for great things in his formative years.

His move to Ibrox offers him a chance to belatedly realise that full potential. He cited the history of the club, the European nights and the pursuit of silverware as the key components behind his decision to head across the border following the end of a loan at Manchester United and expiry of his Crystal Palace contract.

Butland also referenced those that have gone before him. Whether it be Chris Woods or Stefan Klos, McGregor or The Goalie, Andy Goram, himself, Butland knows he is joining an illustrious list of shot-stoppers.

“I’ve had big goalies to follow in the past, at Stoke and the like," Butland said. “Top goalies have gone before and they’ll come again.

“That’s the beauty of the position. We are all different and we can all make it our own.

“There’s no denying the impact some of those guys have had on the club, it’s something I have paid attention to.

“I think we’ll get to see Allan and hopefully get to train with him for a couple of days before the Newcastle game.

“That will be really nice and an opportunity to pick his brains a little bit. Just about his experiences and what the club means to him and how that can help me.

“We’re different goalkeepers and I’m just looking forward to getting the gloves on and trying to emulate some of the things they have achieved.

“There’s value, 100 per cent, in talking to Allan. It’s a very unique city, the way that it operates and he knows it better than anybody.

“There’s no better person for me to talk to than him about his experiences at the club and how to deal with that and how to deal with the Old Firms.

“It’s about getting insight into all of that and how he went about it. It can only be beneficial for me and I’m looking forward to it.”

The task of replacing McGregor is an unenviable one. In many regards, it could be said it is an impossible one.

Butland is the man that Michael Beale has put his faith and trust in, however, and he will start the campaign as first choice ahead of Robby McCrorie after agreeing a four-year deal at Ibrox.

McGregor made his name and wrote his legacy as a result of his performances and his successes. His persona was integral to his hero status as well and Butland will now find his own voice between the sticks.

"I don’t know," Butland said when asked if he was calmer than McGregor. "Maybe, within reason. We are different.

"I like to be as collected as possible. But I am vocal, I think that is important.

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"I like to be vocal in the changing room, not overly so but just when things are required and I have always felt I have been a big voice in clubs I have been at. But calmer? Maybe. I am not sure.

"I am not going to be any different to what I have been. I think that’s key for the manager who spoke to us when we came in.

"The new lads were all staying at the same hotel and the day before we started we all had dinner together with the coaching staff and he reiterated to us all that he didn’t need us to be anything more than what we are: 'You are here for a reason, you are here because we like you. Be yourselves.' So I will be myself.

"If you start to get outside of that window you start to lose focus of what’s important. We have the right balance, leaders who are quieter and leaders who are louder and lead in different ways. It is important for everyone to be themselves."

Butland is the most high-profile of the handful of signings that Beale has made so far this summer as he has started to overhaul a squad that was in desperate need of an injection of quality and belief.

McGregor brought his own end to his career, while Filip Helander, Scott Arfield, Ryan Kent and Alfredo Morelos were allowed to move on when their contracts expired last term. More will follow them out the door and another couple will sign on the dotted line.

A potential switch to Glasgow was muted last summer but 'wasn't close' according to Butland. Once he sat down with Beale, he was left in no doubt where he wanted to play his football going forward.

“I met the manager a few months prior," Butland said. "He came down to Manchester to see me and that was really good too.

“It gave me some insight into the club, as much as you can give in a meeting room I suppose.

“But he explained his ideas and outlined his plans. I didn’t need to do a lot of research so it made the decision really easy for me.

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“Listen, it’s a great feeling to be wanted. It was huge for me. I hadn’t felt that, to that point, for a while.

“I’ve been working hard to get back to that point because it doesn’t just come around.

“I know the guys here did their research too in talking to guys at Palace and United.

“They wanted to see where I was at and all of it led to where we are now. I’m really excited about the challenge.”