Elgin City’s current longest-serving player Brian Cameron was in the limelight on Wednesday as Rangers sent an impressive young side to Borough Briggs.
The 30-year-old midfielder has racked up 473 appearances and 84 goals throughout his 14 years at the League 2 club.
Josh McPake’s free-kick put Rangers ahead just after the interval and Ross McAusland soon doubled the scoreline before Tony Weston and James Graham goals wrapped up a 4-0 win.
Cameron, a competitive driver in the heart of the pitch, made his debut as a 16-year-old in a league loss against Stenhousemuir in 2008.
The Aberdeen-born star has won the supporters’ and players’ player of the season awards four teams each, with his worth to the team often mentioned by manager Gavin Price.
There was a minute’s silence for Scotland and Rangers legendary goalkeeper Andy Goram, who died at the weekend after a battle against cancer.
The silence was also for hugely respected Elgin City player Billy Douglas, who played for a hugely successful City side in the late 1960s.
He was in the 67-68 side which clinched the Highland League title, the North of Scotland and Qualifying Cups as well as reaching last eight of the Scottish Cup.
Warm welcome on to the park for Brian 'Soapy' Cameron ahead of his testimonial v @RangersFC B here at @ElginCityFC @PandJSport pic.twitter.com/Mn99Ba6Chu
— Paul Chalk (@PaulChalk4) July 6, 2022
Goram, who was 58, had a brief stint at Elgin at the tail end of his playing days in 2003/04 when signed by City manager and his former Gers team-mate David Robertson.
An added touch before a ball was struck also saw the hosts present Rangers with an Andy Goram shirt from his spell in Moray.
Elgin, who kick off their competitive season in the Premier Sports at Ayr United on Saturday, have been flying throughout their warm-up games.
However, this was not considered as part of the preparations by boss Price in reality, with many former players returning to the fold for Cameron, who was welcomed on to the park amid a guard of honour in front of a crowd of more than 1000.
Those back were goalkeeper coach Stevie Dunn, and ex-City keeper Stevie Dunn, Rothes midfielder Ally McKenzie, and twins Ross and Liam Archibald and Fraser Forbes, all from Lossiemouth.
Ex-Elgin striker Craig Gunn was in the starting attack, while Stephen Bronsky, now of Dumbarton, and Chris Dodd and Chris McLeish, now both at Jeanfield Swifts, also featured.
The opening opportunity came the way of the young Gers side when a slick move ended with striker Weston firing wide of the right post.
Dunn kept out Gers’ Lewis MacKinnon when he blocked his goal-bound header just before McPake skimmed the crossbar with an angled drive.
Dunn was then replaced by current keeper Thomas McHale after 17 minutes to a warm reception from the supporters.
Gunn blew a golden chance to open the scoring on 36 minutes when he met a Matthew Cooper cross, but his shot finished past the post.
Moments later, the forward was one-on-one with the goalkeeper, but Lewis Budinauckas saved and held the effort.
McPake shot Rangers in front when from a free-kick at the edge of the box. He curled a cracking effort over the wall and beyond McHale.
And it was 2-0 after 55 minutes when a slip-up in midfield allowed another speedy attack and McAusland burst into the box and dispatched a drive into the far corner, out of McHale’s reach.
Weston netted a third when he was picked out after a slack pass, and he supplied a clinical finish past McHale, on 71 minutes.
A stoppage-time breakaway ended with sub Graham racing clear and steering the ball into the net.
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