Hartlepool United winger lifts lid on his time at Rangers and what it was like under Steven Gerrard

Jake Hastie is one of a number of players and, in manager Paul Hartley and assistant Gordon Young, staff to swap Scotland for the North East this summer as part of a new era at the Suit Direct Stadium.

Hastie, 23, was one of Hartley’s first signings ahead of pre-season after the winger left Glasgow giants Rangers in search of kick-starting his career once more with Pools.

And Hastie is one of several within the Pools dressing room who may also take an interest in events at Celtic Park this weekend as the top two in Scottish football meet in the first Old Firm of the season.

“I think there’ll be a little bit of banter [in the dressing room] to be fair,” joked Hastie.

“It’s always a big game up the road.

“Everybody always sits and watches it and I’m sure plenty will [be interested] after the game at the weekend.”

Hastie never got to sample the Glasgow derby during his three years at Ibrox, with his appearances in the first team under Steven Gerrard very much limited, despite penning a four-year deal with the club.

But for Hastie, just 19-years-old at the time, was it a case of things happening too soon for him in his career?

“It all happened very quickly because I'd been at Alloa in the Championship when I was younger and I was out on loan,” Hastie told The Mail.

“I went away for the break and was training and somebody [at Motherwell] got injured and I was straight in and did well.

“About 14 games later I was at Rangers.

“I really enjoyed it, to be fair,” Hastie said of his time at Ibrox.

“It was a big learning curve for me, as well as playing with top players everyday. Just watching folk with their standards and trying to be the way they are and trying to be as good as you can every day.”

And of Gerrard’s standards?

“They were very high. I enjoyed working under him to be fair,” said Hastie.

“He just demanded from you every single day. You know the level he played at so he expected you to be there or thereabouts every day in training.

“He said to me to go and be positive. He always used to say just go and work hard, keep your head down and be positive.”

And those are standards Hastie has already acknowledged in new boss Hartley during his short time with Pools.

“Definitely. The gaffer just tells you to be positive every day. If you give it away, you give it away. Just go and do your thing again, just keep getting on the ball.

“It gives you that confidence to go and play.”