Jermain Defoe will make his Rangers debut on Friday night when his new club travel to Cowdenbeath for their Scottish Cup clash.
The striker swapped Bournemouth for Glasgow at the start of January and his first appearance is a world away from his last first team outing.
In December, Bournemouth travelled to Chelsea’s Stamford Bridge, with Defoe getting a two-minute run out. On Friday, though, the 36-year-old will turn out at Central Park, home to Cowdenbeath since 1917.
In the lives of many Chelsea supporters, stocks represent ownership in some fancy corporation, but at Central Park it represents racing, with the ground doubling as a stock car venue.
The oval track encircles the pitch and has hosted the sport since 1965.
“He has never tried to control a ball on a skid mark from a stock car? I do that every week,” Cowdenbeath captain David Marsh said about the Rangers striker.
“Defoe won’t have a clue what to do but maybe that’s wishful thinking. I’ve seen cars driving about the pitch and you can see the tyre marks – he won’t be used to that.”
Cowdenbeath’s biggest attendance was actually against Rangers when 25,868 showed up at Central Park in 1949. Central Park currently has a capacity of 4,370 with seating to the north and open terracing to the south, east and west side.
The club say the south side “is a full uncovered terrace with a food vendor and toilet facilities while there is further uncovered terracing behind each goal (east and west of the ground). The west of the terracing was the location of the popular ‘Coo Shed’ until it was blow down by a storm in 1983.”
On the main stand, it says it is divided into two sections – The Alex Menzies Stand (‘New Stand’) and the West Stand (‘Old Grandstand).
“The old grandstand, the first of its kind at the time, held 3,500 people but was partially destroyed by fire in 1992,” the League Two club continue.
“The Alex Menzies Stand was constructed in 1993, complete with new dressing rooms, board room, function suite and office facilities, and sits side-by-side with the remnants of the old stand.
“The main stand provides access to a food vendor and toilets. The Club Bar and Alex Menzies lounge are contained within while the Club Shop is located next to the food vendor at the back of the stand.”
Marsh is hopeful Rangers manager Steven Gerrard plays his new signing.
“I’m a Rangers fan and you want to face the best,” he explained.
“Even if they rested all their big players they could bring in reserves who should be capable of winning.
“I’ve watched Match of the Day and Super Sunday for years so I know Defoe’s a top striker. [Alfredo] Morlelos is also a handful as he’s the top scorer in Scotland.
“So we all want to see the best and the strongest Rangers side take us on.”
Marsh will be pleased to know Gerrard plans to play Defoe at some point.