Jack Butland, a 32-year-old Englishman, prances about in a Rangers jersey being their number one, literally. His role happens to be a goalkeeper. Standing at a boundless height of 6ft 5in (1.96m), weighing a hefty 14st 11lb (94kg), this robust goliath of a man has also bore the burden of representing the Great Britain national team, apparently.
According to the glorious folks at Transfermarkt, the man has an estimated market value of about £1.3m. I am assuming they calculated that hefty sum by adding together his talented glove work and commanding presence in the box, no?
Our lad Butland's voyage into professional football commenced in 2010 with Birmingham City. There, he was counted upon 46 times in the 2012 - 2013 season. Goals conceded? Oh, they never mentioned that.
The next move saw him plucked, albeit temporarily, to Cheltenham Town. Unsurprisingly, he was given 24 nods in his debut with a League Two team. Honestly, where's the challenge in that? It's like asking Messi to take penalties.
Having survived life in lower tiers, he rejoined Birmingham City in April 2012. Our Jack seems to have a thing for the team, considering he stood guard in goal another 46 times the following season. Besides, Championship football is no place to miss when you have Premier League aspirations, I assume.
In July 2013, money spoke louder - around £3.5m to be precise - and off Jack went to Stoke City. He was the chosen one, a mere three times, in his maiden season. However, his much-anticipated breakthrough came in 2015 - 2016 season when he was called upon 31 times. The tale continues with fluctuating appearances, peaking at 45 in the year 2018 - 2019 and plummeting to 35 the next year. Perhaps, the management grew bored of seeing him so often?
Oh, dear reader, you'd be wrong to think that our lad's fleeting engagement with other teams was restricted to Cheltenham Town. Brief dalliances with Barnsley, Leeds United and Derby County peppered his long-lasting relationship with Stoke City. His most promising stint occurred at Leeds with 16 first team appearances. After all, everyone does have a favourite side chick, don't they?
Following an array of unsuccessful suitors, our boy finally tied the knot with Crystal Palace in October 2020, modestly costing them about £1m. Alas, this union proved less fruitful, producing a mere ten appearances over two seasons. Perhaps, true love hadn't found him after all.
However, a glimmer of hope arose from the icy depths of the North as the mighty Rangers of Scotland swooped in, vastly inflating Jack’s frequent flyer miles. Desperate times require desperate measures, I suppose. And for Jack, it’s been a fruitful relationship so far with 76 league games under his belt.
Jack Butland, ladies and gents, is the embodiment of "been there, done that". From thick to thin, Premier League to League Two, loyal service to loaned stints. Oh, the life of a football journeyman!
