Matt Crooks leaves Rangers for Northampton
The 23-year-old has moved for an undisclosed fee
Last updated 19th Jul 2017
Rangers have offloaded midfielder Matt Crooks to Northampton.
Both clubs announced the 23-year-old had moved for an undisclosed fee.
Crooks joined Rangers from Accrington under freedom of contract last summer, but his impact was delayed by an ankle operation he underwent after he signed a pre-contract deal.
The tall midfielder only played three games and his sole start came in a 2-0 defeat by Hearts, before he was loaned to Scunthorpe in the second half of last season.
Crooks was deemed surplus to requirements by Gers boss Pedro Caixinha, but Northampton manager Justin Edinburgh was “thrilled” with his signing.
Edinburgh told his club's official website: “He is a very talented player with a big future ahead of him. He has played at this level and was one of the best players coming out of League Two when he went to Rangers. We feel he has the potential to get even better and believe he is a top signing for us.
“He was outstanding for Scunthorpe last season and played a part in helping them to the play-offs.”
Meanwhile, Caixinha was given further cause for concern ahead of the new season as former Rangers defender Colin Hendry's son handed the Ibrox side their latest defeat.
Former Blackburn youngster Callum Hendry netted the only goal during a closed-door friendly with St Johnstone at Rangers' training base.
Rangers fielded a strong team, including summer signings Graham Dorrans and Carlos Pena, who played no part in their shock Europa League defeat to Luxembourg minnows Progres Neiderkorn.
St Johnstone's official Twitter account revealed Rangers midfielder Niko Kranjcar was “asked to leave the pitch” in the 35th minute after “screaming at the referee”.
Caixinha urged supporters not to be alarmed in the wake of another defeat, arguing they had created a number of chances against their Ladbrokes Premiership rivals.
The Portuguese coach, whose team host Marseille at Ibrox on Saturday, told his club's website: “The boys are getting the message and getting the idea. We are creating a lot of scoring chances and we know the goals are going to appear at the right moment.
“There is nothing to be shocked or alarmed about - if the team was not producing or the team was not playing or giving the philosophy we want from them, then I would be worried.
“It was very, very good and the opponent didn't have any chances at all to get in the game and perform their own game.
“We were performing our game - being balanced in attack, having a presence in the box and creating chances, but not scoring.
“I am happy with that as that is the basis of the work."