Born in Doncaster, South Yorkshire,[4] Rankine started his career in the youth system of hometown club Doncaster Rovers.[5] He played for Armthorpe Welfare on work experience in 2002 and was released by Doncaster at the end of the 2002–03 season after failing to progress into their first team.[6][7] He signed for Northern Premier League Premier Division club Barrow in the summer of 2003.[8] He was unable to play for them in the opening match of 2003–04 after suffering whiplash following a car crash.[9] He made 47 appearances and scored nine goals in 2003–04.[10]
Scunthorpe United
Rankine signed for League Two club Scunthorpe United on 15 September 2004 on non-contract terms, following a trial after being recommended to the club by Barrow manager Lee Turnbull.[11][12][13] The move came having made 11 appearances and scored three goals for Barrow up to that point during 2004–05.[14] He scored the winning goal for Scunthorpe away to Bury on his debut with a close range finish from Andy Crosby's knock-down in the 89th minute, which gave his team a 1–0 victory.[15] He started for Scunthorpe in a 3–1 defeat to eventual Premier League champions Chelsea in the FA Cup third round in January 2005,[16] after which he was given the shirt of striker Didier Drogba.[17] He scored one goal for Scunthorpe in 2004–05, in which he made 24 appearances,[18] as they won promotion to League One as League Two runners-up.[19] He signed a new six-month contract with the club in June 2005.[20]
Rankine rejoined former club Barrow in August 2005 on a one-month loan,[21] and after scoring two goals, the loan was extended for a second month in September.[22] During the second month, he was recalled by Scunthorpe, due to injuries at the club,[23] meaning he finished the loan period with 11 appearances and three goals.[24] He was reported to have joined Lincoln City on trial in December,[25] but this claim was rejected by Lincoln manager Keith Alexander.[26] Following the expiry of his Scunthorpe contract on 9 December 2005,[11] he later joined Conference National club Altrincham on trial and scored for their reserve team.[27]
Alfreton Town and Rushden & Diamonds
After his contract at Scunthorpe expired, he had a period with former club Armthorpe Welfare to help his fitness, before joining Alfreton Town of the Conference North in January 2006.[28] He finished 2005–06 with 22 appearances and three goals for Alfreton,[24] after which he was offered a new contract in May 2006.[29] However, Rankine signed for Conference National club Rushden & Diamonds on 24 July 2006 on a one-year contract, having been on trial for three weeks.[6][30] He made his debut in a 1–0 defeat to Crawley Town on 12 August 2006, which was followed by his first goal in the following match three days later, converting a Glenn Wilsoncross in a 3–1 defeat to Grays Athletic.[31][32] He next scored with two goals in a 3–1 victory over League One club Yeovil Town in the FA Cup first round in November.[31] He signed a new two-year contract with Rushden in March 2007, which contracted him at the club until the summer of 2009, with the option of a further two years.[6][33] He scored two goals in the last five minutes against Weymouth on 3 April to help Rushden to a 4–1 victory.[34] He finished 2006–07 with 46 appearances and 10 goals for Rushden.[31]
Rankine played for Rushden in the Conference League CupFinal against Aldershot Town on 3 April 2008, and scored a goal during the first minute of stoppage time in extra time, ensuring a 3–3 draw and a penalty shoot-out, which Rushden lost 4–3.[35] He finished 2007–08 with 52 appearances and 15 goals for Rushden.[36] He joined League Two club AFC Bournemouth on 8 October 2008 on a one-month loan,[37] after having made eight appearances for Rushden up to that point during 2008–09.[38] He made his debut in a 0–0 draw with Rotherham United three days later before finishing the loan period with four appearances.[39] Bournemouth were hoping to extend the loan, but Rushden wanted him to return.[40] He scored two goals for Rushden in a 9–0 victory over Weymouth on 20 February 2009, who had been forced to field a youth team.[41] He finished 2008–09 with 38 appearances and eight goals for Rushden.[38]
York City
Rankine signed for Rushden's Conference Premier rivals York City on 12 June 2009 on a two-year contract for a fee of £10,000, with York's Craig Farrell moving in the opposite direction.[42] He made his debut in a 2–1 defeat to Oxford United on 8 August 2009.[43] He scored his first goal for York after winning and scoring a penalty kick in a 2–0 victory over Forest Green Rovers on 15 August.[43][44] He played in both legs of York's play-off semi-final victory over Luton Town, which finished 2–0 on aggregate.[43] He started in the 2010 Conference Premier play-off final at Wembley Stadium on 16 May 2010, being substituted on 70 minutes, which was lost 3–1 to Oxford.[45] He finished 2009–10 with 55 appearances and 10 goals for York.[43]
Rankine made his first appearance of 2010–11 in the opening match, a 2–1 defeat to Kidderminster Harriers on 14 August 2010, as a substitute in the 65th minute and scoring a penalty in the 86th minute.[46][47] His first goals of the season from open play came after scoring twice in a 3–0 victory over Altrincham on 28 August 2010.[46] Rankine finished the season as York's top scorer with 14 goals in 48 appearances.[46]
Aldershot Town and Grimsby Town
He rejected a new contract with York during 2010–11 and manager Gary Mills confirmed he was to leave the club to sign for League Two club Aldershot Town.[48] He agreed to sign for Aldershot on 12 May 2011 on a free transfer.[49]
Rankine signed for Conference Premier club Grimsby Town on 23 November 2012 on a one-month loan.[50] He made his debut a day later as a 66th-minute substitute in Grimsby's 0–0 home draw with Buxton in the FA Trophyfirst round.[51] Rankine returned to Aldershot on 4 January 2013 as he wanted a more long-term extension to his loan at Grimsby, who were only offering a one-month extension.[52] He had made six appearances for Grimsby.[51] On 12 February 2013, Rankine returned to former club York, by this time playing in League Two, on loan until the end of 2012–13.[53] He made his first appearance since returning later that day, playing in York's 0–0 home draw with Gillingham.[54] Rankine was sent back to Aldershot on 4 April 2013 having been deemed surplus to requirements by new manager Nigel Worthington.[55] He had made eight appearances for York.[54] He finished the season with two goals in 28 appearances for Aldershot as they were relegated to the Conference Premier.[54]
Hereford United
He joined Tamworth on trial in July 2013, scoring in the club's 2–0 friendly win over Atherstone Town.[56] Shortly afterwards, he signed for Conference Premier club Hereford United on a one-year contract following a trial.[57] He made his debut in Hereford's 1–1 draw at home to Braintree Town in the opening match of 2013–14 on 10 August 2013.[51] Rankine scored his first goal for Hereford with the equalising goal in the 70th minute of a 2–2 draw away to Hyde on 17 August 2013.[51] He scored an 88th-minute winner for Hereford in a 2–1 away win over Aldershot, a result that saw the club avoid relegation on goal difference.[58] However, Hereford were later expelled from the Football Conference and he commented that the situation at the club was "embarrassing" and a "disgrace".[59][60] He had made 34 appearances and scored seven goals for Hereford in the 2013–14 season.[51]
Gateshead
Rankine signed for Conference Premier club Gateshead, managed by his former Alfreton and York manager Mills, on 30 June 2014 on a one-year contract.[61] He made his debut on 13 September 2014 as a 61st-minute substitute in a 1–0 win against Dartford,[51] and scored his first goal for the club with a close-range finished from a Carl Finnigan cross in the 86th minute of a 2–2 extra time draw to Wrexham in the FA Trophy third round on 7 February 2015, with Gateshead losing 5–3 in a penalty shoot-out.[62] Rankine made 36 appearances and scored five goals in 2014–15[51] as Gateshead finished 10th in the Conference Premier.[63]
Altrincham
Rankine signed for National League club Altrincham on 3 June 2015, leaving Gateshead as he was unhappy with how regularly he was playing there.[64] He made his debut in a 1–0 home defeat to Forest Green on 8 August 2015 and scored his first goal with a looping header from a James Lawrie cross in the 29th minute of a 2–1 home victory over Tranmere Rovers on 29 August.[51][65] Rankine finished 2015–16 with 15 goals from 45 appearances[51] as Altrincham were relegated in 22nd place in the National League.[66]
Guiseley
Rankine signed for National League club Guiseley on 26 May 2016.[64]
Return to York City
Rankine signed for newly relegated National League North club York City on 16 June 2017 on a one-year contract, marking his third spell with the club.[67] He scored two goals from eight appearances[51][68] as York finished 2017–18 in 11th place in the table.[69] He was released at the end of the season.[70]
Style of play
Rankine played as a striker and was described as a target man, not being a prolific goalscorer, and he said "I just like to chip away and work as hard as I can and, hopefully, then you get rewarded with goals".[71] He had the "ability to hold the ball up, and cause the defenders problems" and possessed the long throw-in ability.[72][73] After Rankine signed for Bournemouth, manager Jimmy Quinn said "He's big, he's strong and I'm pleased to get him in".[74] York manager Martin Foyle said that Rankine "will also work hard, close down and give us a presence in the final third. He's a good size, mobile and will certainly run the channels."[75]
Personal life
Rankine is the nephew of former player Mark Rankine and cousin of Tottenham Hotspur's Danny Rose.[5][76] He has one child, a boy.[76] He was arrested along with York players Michael Gash, Michael Ingham and Craig Nelthorpe in August 2009 following an incident involving two other men at a Subway outlet on a night out.[77] The four appeared at York Magistrates' Court on 14 January 2010 after being charged with affray.[78] Rankine denied a charge of affray and instead pleaded guilty to a lesser charge after appearing at York Crown Court on 1 September.[79]
Rankine retired from playing football in 2018 and began working as an intermediary, helping players transition from non-League to professional football.[80]
Career statistics
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
^"Iron interest in Bluebird Rankine". Non-League Daily. Baltic Publications. 4 August 2004. Archived from the original on 17 September 2012. Retrieved 18 June 2009.
^"Rankine signs, Smith to follow". Non-League Daily. Baltic Publications. 6 January 2006. Archived from the original on 17 September 2012. Retrieved 18 June 2009.
^"Hume goes at Alfreton". Non-League Daily. Baltic Publications. 16 May 2006. Archived from the original on 17 September 2012. Retrieved 18 June 2009.
^ abcdWilliams, Mike; Williams, Tony, eds. (2007). Non-League Club Directory 2008. Kingsbridge: Tony Williams Publications. pp. 136–137. ISBN978-1-869833-57-2.