Ryan Jack

1.1. Birth and Childhood

Ryan James Jack was born on 27 February 1992, in Aberdeen, Scotland.

1.2. Youth Academy Years

Jack joined his hometown club Aberdeen's youth academy at the age of eight, in 2000, and remained connected with the club throughout his youth and senior career for a total of 17 years. He signed professional terms with Aberdeen in the summer of 2008, beginning his official journey into professional football after a decade in the youth setup.

2.1. Aberdeen

Jack made his first-team league debut for Aberdeen against Rangers in September 2010 and quickly established himself as a regular in the squad. In January 2011, he scored his first goal for the club against Inverness Caledonian Thistle, a goal that was subsequently voted as Aberdeen's Goal of the Season for 2010-11. A week later, he appeared as a substitute in the Scottish Cup semi-final at Hampden Park, which ended in a 4-1 defeat to Celtic.

He signed a new contract with Aberdeen in October 2011. On 13 December 2011, in a Scottish Premier League match against St Johnstone, Jack scored a notable goal from the halfway line after opposing goalkeeper Peter Enckelman miskicked a clearance, contributing to a 2-1 victory for Aberdeen. In June 2013, he extended his contract with Aberdeen for three more years, keeping him at the club until 2016.

Jack played a pivotal role in Aberdeen's run to the League Cup semi-final during the 2013-14 season. However, he sustained an injury in a league match against Motherwell in January 2014, ruling him out for approximately six weeks and causing him to miss the League Cup semi-final against St Johnstone. He recovered in time for the final of the competition, playing all 120 minutes as Aberdeen defeated Inverness CT in a penalty shoot-out to win their first trophy since 1995. Later in the same campaign, he also participated in the Scottish Cup semi-final, where Aberdeen again faced St Johnstone but were on the losing side this time.

On 11 January 2015, Jack was recognized for his strong performances by being named the SPFL Player of the Month for December 2014. Two weeks later, his team was knocked out of the League Cup by Dundee United in the semi-finals, preventing another final appearance. On 20 May 2015, Jack signed a one-year extension to his contract, committing him to Aberdeen until the end of the 2016-17 season. He was subsequently named team captain for the 2015-16 season on 24 June 2015.

After much speculation regarding his future, Jack departed Aberdeen in May 2017 when his contract expired. His final appearance for the Dons was in the 2017 Scottish Cup Final, which Aberdeen lost to Celtic. Earlier in the 2016-17 season, he had also captained the team in the League Cup final, also lost to Celtic. Over his tenure, he played 250 times for Aberdeen.

2.2. Rangers

Ryan Jack signed a three-year contract with Rangers on 1 June 2017, joining as a free agent. Upon signing, he publicly stated that he was a lifelong Rangers fan and considered it an "honour and a privilege" to join the club he supported. He made his debut for Rangers on 29 June 2017, in the first qualifying round of the 2017-18 UEFA Europa League against Luxembourgish side Progrès Niederkorn, a tie that Rangers ultimately lost 2-0 away from home, resulting in a 2-1 aggregate defeat.

During Rangers' first visit to Aberdeen since his transfer, Jack started the match but was controversially sent off in the second half for a bad tackle. Despite the red card, Rangers went on to win the game 2-1. This incident marked his fourth red card of the 2017-18 season, though two of these had been rescinded after appeals. In January 2018, Rangers confirmed that Jack required surgery for a knee injury sustained the previous month, which kept him out of action for an extended period.

Jack signed a new contract with Rangers in December 2018, extending his stay until the end of the 2020-21 season. On 29 December, he scored his first goal for Rangers in the Old Firm derby against Celtic, contributing to a vital 1-0 victory for his team. In October 2019, he further committed his future to the club by signing another four-year contract, which was set to run until 2023.

Jack played a key role in Rangers winning the 2020-21 Scottish Premiership, marking the club's first league championship since 2011. Towards the latter part of that season, he was hampered by a calf injury that necessitated surgery, causing him to miss the conclusion of the successful campaign. He eventually returned to the team in early November 2021. Jack notably scored the opening goal in the 2022 Scottish Cup final as Rangers defeated Hearts 2-0 after extra time. This victory came just three days after Rangers had narrowly lost the 2022 UEFA Europa League final to Eintracht Frankfurt in a penalty shootout.

In May 2023, Jack signed a one-year contract extension with Rangers. However, he missed a significant portion of the subsequent season due to recurring injury issues and was allowed to depart on a free transfer in June 2024. He is listed as being 72 in ^{(182 cm)} (approximately 5.97 ft) tall and weighing 159 lb ^{(72 kg)} (approximately 158 lb ^{(158 lb)}).

2.3. Esenler Erokspor

In September 2024, following the expiry of his contract with Rangers, Jack signed for Turkish club Esenler Erokspor.

3.1. Youth National Teams

Jack has represented Scotland at the under-16, under-17, under-19, and under-21 levels. He played 6 matches for the U-16 team, scoring 1 goal, 7 matches for the U-17 team, scoring 2 goals, and 1 match for the U-19 team. He captained the Under-21 side and is among the top ten players in terms of appearances at this level, having played 19 matches and scored 1 goal.

3.2. Senior National Team

In May 2013, Jack received his first call-up to the full Scotland squad for a match against Croatia. He eventually made his full international debut in a friendly against the Netherlands in November 2017. Notably, this match took place in Aberdeen, his hometown, and in the early stages, he was met with boos from some sections of the crowd whenever he touched the ball. This reaction stemmed from the intense rivalry between Aberdeen and Rangers and the strong ill-feeling his transfer to Rangers had generated. However, other fans in attendance responded by cheering and applauding him, providing a mixed reception.

Jack earned his first competitive start for Scotland in November 2019, forming a midfield partnership with Callum McGregor. He played a role in helping Scotland qualify for UEFA Euro 2020, but he unfortunately missed the final tournament due to a calf injury that required surgery. In contrast, despite participating in relatively few club matches in the months leading up to the tournament, he was selected for the Scotland squad for UEFA Euro 2024. However, he did not make an appearance in Germany as the team was eliminated at the group stage. In August 2024, he was not included in the Scotland squad for Nations League matches against Portugal and Poland.

4.1. Club Statistics

4.2. International Statistics

5.1. Club Honours

Aberdeen

• Scottish League Cup: 2013-14
• Scottish League Cup runner-up: 2016-17
• Scottish Cup runner-up: 2016-17

Rangers

• Scottish Premiership: 2020-21
• Scottish Cup: 2021-22
• Scottish Cup runner-up: 2023-24
• Scottish League Cup runner-up: 2019-20, 2022-23
• UEFA Europa League runner-up: 2021-22

5.2. Individual Honours

• SPFL Player of the Month: December 2014

6.1. Public and Media Reception

Ryan Jack's transfers, particularly his move from Aberdeen to Rangers, generated significant public and media attention. Upon his return to Pittodrie, Aberdeen's home stadium, for a Scotland international match in November 2017, he faced a mixed reception from the crowd. Some Aberdeen supporters, still reeling from his move to a rival club, booed him whenever he touched the ball, reflecting the intensity of the club rivalry. However, other fans in attendance countered this by cheering and applauding him, showcasing a diverse range of fan sentiment. Over his career, Jack has generally been recognized for his consistent performances in midfield, despite occasional disciplinary issues, such as accumulating several red cards in his early Rangers career, and a notable history of injuries.

6.2. Overall Impact

As a player connected with Aberdeen for 17 years and serving as captain, Ryan Jack left a lasting legacy at his hometown club, particularly by contributing to their historic League Cup win in 2014, ending a long trophy drought. His subsequent move to Rangers saw him continue his success, playing a crucial role in their Scottish Premiership triumph and Scottish Cup victory, as well as their memorable run to the UEFA Europa League final. Throughout his career, he has been a consistent presence in the Scottish football scene, earning a call-up and appearances for the national team, contributing to their qualification for major tournaments despite challenges with injuries.