From club-less to Scotland call-up: Josh McPake's three-year turnaround

The winger, without a club three years ago and unwanted in January, has earned his first Scotland call-up after a strong start at Hearts.

Three years after leaving Rangers without a club, winger Josh McPake has received his first Scotland call-up. He was named in Sebastien Poconogli's squad for the upcoming Nations League fixtures following an impressive start to life at Hearts.

McPake, 25, came through the academy at Ibrox, where he was named player of the year in 2019. He made one senior appearance under Steven Gerrard, coming off the bench in a Europa League qualifier against St Joseph's of Gibraltar, before embarking on six loan spells at Dundee, Greenock Morton, Harrogate Town, Morecambe, Tranmere Rovers and Queen's Park.

After leaving Rangers on 1 September 2023, he spent nearly six months without a club before Stirling Albion of Scottish League 1 signed him on a short-term deal. He scored on his debut there, and former Stirling manager Darren Young told BBC Scotland that McPake's attitude and work rate stood out immediately.

A move to St Johnstone followed, but he struggled for game time under both Craig Levein and Simo Valakari. Valakari revealed last year that McPake was offered to clubs in the January transfer window because he needed to play, but no club came in for him, which the manager described as a wake-up call for the player.

His form since joining Hearts has now put him in line for a senior international debut, capping a run McPake himself has described as a 'mad' few years.