John Souttar: a name that might summon the beat of a pulse faster in some Scottish hearts and slower in others. Born on 25th September 1996, 28-years old by a human's reckoning, this Scottish lad has made quite an interesting traipse through the football scene. A defender by trade and a central defender for Rangers by current profession, Souttar has also represented the Scotland national team to add to his sense of patriotic duty.
As for his physical stature, typical footballer flare is expected: towering at 6ft 2in (1.88m) and weighing in at a respectable 11st 11lb (75kg), he's also got jersey number 5 plastered on his back, a fact that would no doubt secure his place in a round of football trivia.
Let's revisit this strapping lad's journey, shall we? We first hear of him joining Dundee United in the Premiership as a trainee in July 2012. His debut season with Dundee United saw Souttar feature in eight first league matches. Over the next two years, between 2013 - 2015, he made 35 first league appearances and scored a single goal. His final year at Dundee United allowed him 20 more appearances in league matches.
Peculiarly, his move from Dundee United to Hearts in February 2016 was sold for a mere £150k. Perhaps the Hearts had not yet heard of inflating transfer fees, or Souttar genuinely convinced them he was a bargain. While at Hearts, Souttar warmed up to his new environs by appearing in 15 first league matches in the remaining 2015 - 2016 season.
During his tenure at Hearts from 2016 - 2022, he grossed an impressive 131 first team appearances and managed to net five goals in the process. A remarkable feat which may have had Hearts fans convinced they'd struck burried treasure with the lad for £150k.
However, our intrepid Souttar decided to exchange team colours and head on over to Rangers from Hearts in the Premiership in July 2022. A daring move, perhaps. But then, why should Souttar refrain from basking in Rangers' blue shine?
In his first two seasons at Rangers (2022 – 2024), Souttar featured in 40 first league matches, scoring thrice. As for the ongoing 2024 - 2025 season, Souttar has already made 14 first team appearances in league matches, and the season isn't over yet!
But let's not forget his additional accolades. He participated in the 2024 - 2025 League Cup for Rangers with three starts, the Euro Qualifiers 2022 - 2024 for Scotland with a single substitute appearance, the Europa League 2023 - 2024 for Rangers with four starts, Champions League Qualifiers 2024 - 2025 for Rangers with two starts, Nations League 2024 - 2025 for Scotland with four starts, and the Europa League 2024 - 2025 for Rangers with six starts. He's indeed a busy lad, isn't he?
There you have it, a dip into the capricious life of John Souttar. I’ll leave you to your verdicts until the next penny for a player's thoughts.
