I watched The Goalie when I was a boy and dreamed of being Gers idol just like him

[ian1964 10,448]

HIS hero will forever be known as The Goalie.

 

Now Cammy Bell is desperate to follow in Andy Goramâ??s studmarks and become a great Rangers gloveman.

 

Kilmarnock No1 Bell today confirms SunSportâ??s exclusive heâ??ll sign for Ally McCoist on September 1.

 

Itâ??s a dream move for Bell who supported Gers as a kid growing up in Annan.

 

Back then, heâ??d collect the Ibrox sideâ??s outfield tops while switching to a defensive midfielder role for his school. But playing in goal would always be where heâ??d end up â?? after being inspired by legendary Gers keeper and SunSport columnist Goram.

 

Bell, 26, would love to pen his name into club folklore in the same way as his idol.

 

He knows heâ??s got big gloves to fill but insists he wouldnâ??t have made the move if he didnâ??t believe he could handle it.

 

Speaking for the first time about his stunning switch, Bell said: â??Rangers is a club thatâ??s close to my heart. I supported them as a kid.

 

â??I stepped back from that because I loved playing for Kilmarnock.

 

â??But Iâ??d always get Rangers outfield tops when I was younger.

 

â??Iâ??d make sure my folks got me the latest one so I had quite a few. I remember the purple one, Iâ??ve still got it somewhere in the loft.

 

â??Stuff like that stays with you and itâ??s an honour to be signing for a club like Rangers now.

 

I donâ??t know why I started following Rangers. My dad supports Annan. But he took me to a couple of games.

 

â??I must have been about ten and I remember Andy Goram. He was the best goalie at the time.

 

â??Back then I was playing in and out of goals. Iâ??d got into goal- keeping seriously but I still liked to play as defensive midfielder who liked a meaty challenge!

 

â??I paid more attention to Andy. Iâ??ll never forget his skin-coloured knee pads! I saw him make some great saves and he inspired me. Iâ??d love to be able to do what he did.

 

â??Iâ??ve not had the pleasure to meet him but heâ??ll forever be someone I look up to.

 

â??If I can get anywhere near to what he did then Iâ??ll be doing well.

 

â??I read his SunSport column recently where he said I get people off their seats. He used to do that all the time. Making good saves is as good as scoring a goal.â?

 

Bellâ??s height and lightning reactions have had some claiming heâ??s in the same mould as Goram.

 

He said: â??Everyone has good and bad points. Shot-stopping and reactions are probably my good points.

 

â??I know where people are coming from when they say weâ??re a similar height. I want to be as good as Andy and Allan McGregor too. I want to become a name thatâ??s remembered at Rangers.

 

â??I know itâ??s going to be difficult but Iâ??m going to work hard. I have a lot to prove to a lot of people.

 

â??But the first step is getting that chance. I read Andy talking about how being a Rangers goalie is different to being a goalie at another SPL club. You have less saves to make but you have to make them.

 

â??I totally agree. I think Iâ??m quite a good person in my own head and I know you need to stay switched on. I believe I can do that. I wouldnâ??t have signed for Rangers if I didnâ??t.

 

â??I know Iâ??ve got a long way to go to become a good goalie and a great goalie. But the aim is to become a great goalie and to be remembered as one.

 

â??It would be brilliant to have that when I look back on my career.â?

 

Gersâ?? transfer embargo means Bell must wait to be registered but he can play three SFL games as a trailist and one Ramsdens Cup match before September 1.

 

He was the first player McCoist confirmed as a signing for next term and Bell insists it was easy to swap the SPL for Division Two.

 

Bell said: â??Itâ??s still Rangers Football Club. Itâ??s a massive club, one of the biggest in Europe.

 

â??Theyâ??ve got the same support, the same stadium, great training facilities. A lot of things have gone on in the last 18 months but itâ??s still the same club, the same people in terms of the management.

 

â??When the manager told my agent he wanted to sign me I knew it was the right decision to go.

 

â??Iâ??ve been at Kilmarnock since I was 16 and theyâ??ve been great to me. I love the club and the fans.

 

â??But the chance to join a club of the stature of Rangers was impossible to turn down.

 

â??Itâ??s great to have a fresh challenge, which I felt I needed to progress my career.â?

 

Bell has watched from afar as Gers fans packed out Ibrox to see them land the Third Division title.

 

He added: â??I wouldnâ??t say Iâ??ve been blown away, I always knew that was going to happen.

 

â??I knew the fans would never turn their backs on Rangers. People have put money into the club but the fans are always there and itâ??s great to have that support.

 

â??So many of them care so passionately about the club and thatâ??s only a good thing. Hopefully they can get behind me, I know Iâ??ve got a lot to prove to them.

 

â??Hopefully the right people are in charge now. It was a choice for me to sign as a player and it wasnâ??t a hard decision to make.â?

 

â??I canâ??t control what happens upstairs, I can only control what I do on the pitch. I just need to trust people at the club â?? and I do.â?

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