Rangers hero Scott Arfield in touching tribute to tragic friend ahead of sad anniversary as he makes MLS debut
SCOTT ARFIELD has made his MLS debut following his departure from Rangers at the end of last season.
And he has continued a touching tribute to a close friend in the process.
Since his time at Burnley, a club he joined in 2013, Arfield has worn the number 37 shirt.
He once again took the number at Rangers and it was the number on his back as he made his way onto the pitch for his maiden Charlotte FC appearance.
Arfield, 34, decided to wear the number to pay tribute to close friend and former Falkirk teammate Craig Gowans who tragically died in 2005.
Youth star Gowans passed away aged just 17 when he was electrocuted after metal training equipment he was carrying came into contact with power cables.
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After joining Rangers from Burnley in 2018, Arfield immediately spoke of his desire to once again wear the shirt that had become so important to him.
He explained: “It is something that means a lot to me and my family. If it gets rubber-stamped, I will be buzzing to wear it.
“I feel as if when I wear it there is a sentimental factor that kind of gives you a peace of mind.
“Squad numbers mean a lot to certain players and some don’t to others. Certainly, that one means a lot to me.
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“It was Craig’s squad number when we came through and broke into the first team. I was No31, he was No37. At the time, that got retired by Falkirk.
“I couldn’t do it at Huddersfield but when I went to Burnley, I thought, ‘This is the time’.
“Thankfully, we got up to the Premier League.
“That league is shown everywhere across the globe, so that number got a prominent position around the world. Everyone knows why I wore it.
“As I say, I spoke to the family and they are ecstatic about it. I’m just as happy as them to be wearing that number.”
This time around, Arfield taking on the No.37 again takes on a little more poignancy.
His debut comes just days before the anniversary of Gowans' tragic death.
It was almost 18 years ago - on July 8th, 2005 - that the promising footballer lost his life just two weeks after signing for Falkirk full-time.
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The club have certainly never forgotten Gowans and continue to pay tribute to him each year.
Arfield, wearing the special shirt number, came on in the 54th minute as Charlotte drew 1-1 with New York City.
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