The 19-year-old left Rangers last summer after 12 years at Ibrox.
Right-back Jamie Brandon has told the Scottish Sun that not being offered a new contract at Rangers was probably the best thing that could have happened.
Brandon was on Rangers’ books between the ages of six and 18, at which point he left Ibrox to sign for Premiership rivals Hearts.
And after a year on the sidelines at Tynecastle, the West Lothian native was finally given a chance in the Jambos’ first team.
Nine appearances later, Brandon has all but seized the spot left behind by Callum Paterson and finds himself under contract until 2020 at Hearts.
Discussing his Rangers departure, he said: “I didn’t get offered a new contract, which was probably the best thing that could have happened to me at the time. I am in a lot better place than I was at Rangers.
“The facilities are very similar, they’re very good at both clubs.
“At Rangers as a under-20s player you’re a lot further away from the first team and there’s no interaction with them, but here the first-team players speak to you every morning and they offer you advice, which is really helpful as a young player.”
He added: “If I was still at Rangers, I’d still be playing 20s football I think.
“Coming here I have the opportunity to go and play with the first team, and I’ve got a new deal. It’s just worked out a lot better for me I think.”
Brandon left Rangers while Mark Warburton was manager, and it could be argued he’d have stood a better chance there had his contract expired this summer instead.
The progress of centre-back Ross McCrorie, who according to the Scottish Sun are set to be handed new contracts at Ibrox, is yet more evidence of a shift towards youth at the club.
McCrorie broke into the Rangers’ plans under sacked boss Pedro Caixinha and has remained a regular in recent weeks, while David Bates, Aidan Wilson, Myles Beerman and Jamie Barjonas all made their debuts for the club under the Portuguese.
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