THE gap between youth football and the first team game proves too difficult to bridge for many up-and-coming talents. Now, Lewis Mayo is preparing for his leap of faith.

The defender is not afraid of a challenge on the park and he will not be daunted by the task ahead of him as he looks to one day clinch a Rangers shirt and realise his boyhood ambition.

Mayo was rewarded with a new three-year contract in October and knows that is his window of opportunity now as he attempts to continue his ranks through the Light Blue ranks.

That transition is arguably the most crucial of any player’s career and the aim for Rangers is to help the next generation go from Auchenhowie prospect to Ibrox stalwart as smoothly and as quickly as possible.

For Mayo, that is the ultimate ambition. In the coming years, he will look to turn his dream into a reality.

“I was delighted to sign the contract and I have signed until I am 21, which effectively takes me past Reserve football and into men’s football,” Mayo told SportTimes.

“That is a big personal milestone for me so I have now got the next couple of years to crack on, to keep working hard every day and see where it takes me. Hopefully I will end up in the first team.

“Everyone is different and this age bracket can be confusing because some boys make the jump quickly and others take longer and need to take different routes.

“If a player ever feels, between them and the coaches, that it is right to go on loan to get that experience, Rangers will do that to help us. It is very individual. Some players might need to go on loan, some might not, and the locations and levels are very specific to the player.”

The contract that Mayo was handed a few weeks ago was a vote of confidence from Rangers and confirmation of the high hopes that staff at the Hummel Training Centre have for him.

The stopper hasn’t been able to repay that faith since, though, after being forced from the park into the treatment room.

Mayo is confident he will be back in action soon, however, and able to continue on an upward trajectory as he looks to pick up where he left off.

“It was a bit of a setback but I am working hard and I am close to training,” he said. “In terms of the season, it is not going to affect me and, after Christmas, I will be flying again and raring to go.

“It started a few months ago with a knock I got on my shin and I had a haematoma on my shin. From there it developed into damage of the bone underneath and it got quite tender so I needed to take a step back and let it settle.

“I was playing at a high level before it happened in terms of the games I was playing in and training and I don’t think this will affect that.

“When I get back playing and training, I will continue to progress and hopefully there are more first team opportunities towards the end of the season.”

The requirement to take a step back in order to take two forward has denied Mayo the chance to be on the field for the Rangers Reserves in recent weeks. It also ruled him out of the Scotland Under-19s squad last month.

He is confident it won’t be a major hinderance to his campaign, though, as he attempts to get back in action as quickly as possible and show what he is about for the Gers once again.

“A player’s injuries can be what makes them the player they are and it is a challenge for you to be able to handle it,” Mayo said.

“There is a lot of mental pressure involved that people might not expect when you drop out of the team and you are not involved.

“You are not doing what you are used to doing and what you love so you need to be very patient and diligent to do the rehab and the strengthening work every day. Fortunately this one isn’t too long term and I should be back soon.

“Being with the first team is exactly what I want to be doing. Rangers is the team I love, I love football, and I want to have as many first team opportunities as possible.

“When you see your team-mates going round, it gives you confidence and belief because you know there is that opportunity. That is what I will be aiming for when I am back and fit.”

The taste of first team action that Mayo has had with Steven Gerrard’s squad has whetted his appetite for what the coming weeks, months and years could bring.

Gerrard is keen to involve the brightest talents from the Academy setup in his Light Blues plans and the grounding those players receive give them the ideal platform upon which to build.

Mayo said: “The first team staff have been excellent with us in terms of taking us round, talking to us and helping us get used to that environment and what they want.

“In the last six months at Rangers, I have played games in the Reserve League, against European opposition and against Scottish first teams.

“So I have the experience of playing lots of different styles of football, which is going to benefit me to go and push at Rangers.

“Last season we had the Games Programme and we were playing against European opposition pretty much every week. This season it has been a variety and even with the Scotland setup I have had a handful of international games.

“That was definitely beneficial to me in terms of challenging me by playing against the best players from not just Scotland but around Europe.”

*Rangers Academy defender Lewis Mayo is pictured promoting the Rangers Youth Development Company.

Since 2002, RYDC profits have been directed to Rangers Football Club’s youth programme - with more than £7.5 million provided in those 16 years. 

For full details on their products – Rangers Lotto, Rangers Pools, Rising Stars, Scratchcards, Stadium Bricks and the Youth Members Club – visit www.rydc.co.uk or call 0141 427 4914