Doncaster Rovers v Bradford City: Ex-Glasgow Rangers player's special derby memory and childhood dream

The Doncaster Rovers left-back may not have stepped out in one of the biggest in world football let alone the United Kingdom during his time at Scottish giants Glasgow Rangers - but achieving a childhood dream not far away probably felt even better than Old Firm participation in truth.

A boyhood fan of Ayr United - the club his father also supported - Maxwell joined The Honest Men on a season-long loan from Rangers at the age of 19.

The teenager, who had also spent four years as a youth at Somerset Park, netted in Ayr's 2-1 victory on enemy soil against arch-rivals Kilmarnock in February 2022.

Over a decade or so earlier, he had been in the away end there during a famous Scottish Cup win for the visitors in another Ayrshire derby.

Now 23, Maxwell told The Yorkshire Post: "From my childhood growing up in Ayr, that was one of my highlights for sure.

"When I was young, I had a season-ticket there. I used to play Saturday football and then watch Ayr when they were in Scottish League One.

"I also watched them away a good few times when they were close.

"When I played, we were struggling big time and they (Kilmarnock) were at the top of the league. I scored and that was a big bonus."

Derbies have provided some notable occasions in the career of Maxwell thus far.

He actually made his Rovers debut against weekend opponents Bradford City at Valley Parade in July 2022.

It arrived less than a month after he officially left Ibrox when his Gers deal expired.

For countless homegrown Scottish footballers who join Rangers and Celtic in particular, it's best that they sign up with their eyes wide open.

Those that make it have to be pretty special - and probably need a spot of luck along the way as well.

And if it doesn't quite happen - as it didn't for Maxwell - it's about not being too hard on yourself either.

In his time at Rangers, he was behind the likes of Croatian international Borna Barisic in the pecking order and there were others as well.

Maxwell, who spent time on loan at Queen's Park alongside his spell at Ayr, did not make his senior debut for the Light Blues.

He remains phlegmatic about it. Others have had to be as well.

He added: "There's four or five from Rangers who I keep in contact with.

"They are not there any more obviously, but really good pals and I do go up and see them.

"We were quite a tight-knit group up there as we had a really good youth team.

"Rangers, especially at the time when I was 17, 18 and 19, were trying to stop ten in a row and obviously they'd assembled an unbelievable squad in terms of competition in every position.

"It was recognising that opportunities were going to be extremely limited and going out on loan for two seasons was about trying to get as many games and as much experience as I could.

"Fortunately, Rangers were good about me leaving and weren't asking for money or anything. It allowed me an opportunity to come here."

Maxwell's Rovers debut at Bradford ended goalless, but that was only half the story really.

A then fourth-tier record crowd of 19,362 crowd at Valley Parade - including almost 2,000 Doncaster fans - witnessed a fractious contest.

It was chiefly remembered for a petulant and stupid dismissal in first-half stoppage time for Rovers debutant Lee Tomlin and a sickening injury sustained early on by another player making his debut in City winger Emmanuel Osadebe - and a red card that never was for visiting player Liam Ravenhill.

Thankfully for Maxwell, the sole Rovers player from that starting line-up who is still playing a leading on-pitch role these days, there have been better memories since against Bradford.

Like in April, when Doncaster were promoted after beating City at the Eco-Power Stadium in their last home fixture of the 2024-25 season amid ecstatic scenes for three-quarters of the ground at any rate.

Maxwell, part of a Rovers side who turned over near-neighbours Rotherham United last weekend - and are keen on providing their own derby encore seven days on - said: "That (Bradford) game doesn't seem that long ago (in July 2022). It was very memorable for a 0-0.

"It's good to look back on to see how much growth there's been for me personally and the club.

"It's night and day from where we were and it's good to see how far we've come.

"It's a completely different culture now and a new squad of players and the ones we've kept in and around the squad have done well to still be around.

"Last season (versus Bradford) was a big one. Derbies are always unique. Sometimes, they are a wee bit more scrappy and frantic and there's that added intensity and heat on the game and it does play a bit.

"We will try and hope our quality comes through."