Lawrence Shankland has been told he must earn the respect of his new Rangers teammates after being handed the captaincy at Ibrox this summer.
The 31-year-old striker, a lifelong Rangers fan, was named skipper by manager Derek McInnes following the summer departure of long-serving captain James Tavernier.
Shankland arrives at Ibrox with a strong reputation after skippered Hearts to the brink of Scottish Premiership title glory last season.
His close relationship with McInnes was widely seen as a key factor in the decision to hand him the armband so soon after joining the club.
However, England legend Stuart Pearce has urged the Scotland international to tread carefully as he settles into his new surroundings at Rangers.
Pearce, 64, spoke from personal experience, having gone through a remarkably similar situation when Kevin Keegan handed him the captaincy shortly after joining Manchester City.
Speaking on talkSPORT, Pearce offered direct advice to Shankland, saying: “I think just ease your way in. Don’t try and change everything all in one hit.”
The former defender stressed the importance of building credibility among teammates before asserting himself as a leader within the squad.
Pearce added: “You’ve got to prove yourself to the dressing room that they respect you as a player.”
He reflected on his own experience at City, saying: “I went to Man City as a 39-year-old, and Kevin said, ‘You’ll be the captain’. I was also on the coaching staff as well.”
Pearce described Keegan as a significant influence during that period, noting: “I was a 39-year-old with the mentality of coming to be helped out with my coaching badges, and Kevin was an incredible mentor to me.”
The veteran offered a final, blunt piece of advice, saying: “But yeah. Ease your way in, don’t use a sledgehammer to crack a nut. Get to know the dressing room, get to know each other.”
For Shankland, the challenge is clear — winning over a dressing room that did not see him earn his status at the club from within.
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