Dunfermline’s Dapo Mebude: From Rangers dream with Steven Gerrard to car crash scare in Belgium

Mebude was born and raised in London. At the age of 10, his family moved to Glasgow, where his football talent was discovered early.

Growing up in Govan, he began training with Rangers and became part of the Scottish FA’s performance group.

As a boyhood Liverpool fan, who modeled his game on England winger Raheem Sterling, he could hardly believe his luck when Anfield great Steven Gerrard walked through the door as Ibrox manager.

“Going through the age groups, I did well,” Mebude said. “I would always play a couple more years.

“In my second full-time year I played a game with the under-20 team. I scored a hat-trick coming off the bench.

“Steven Gerrard had just arrived at that time. I was at the game and the next day I trained with the first team. It was surreal.”

Gerrard would give Mebude his first team debut for Rangers.

However, it was always going to be difficult for the teenager to push his way ahead of the likes of Alfredo Morelos and Jermain Defoe in the pecking order.

A loan spell at Queen of the South was followed by a move to Watford and then a further loan spell at Wimbledon before moving to Belgium.

Since surviving road debris, Mebude’s mission has been to rebuild his career.

Once again, his family would play a role. He trained alongside his younger brother Dire, the Scottish Under-21 striker currently playing for Westerlo, over the summer.

The general football family would also help him get back into the game.

“I was training in Livingston for a while,” Mebude said. “My friend Stephen Kelly plays there and we played together at Rangers. He knew my situation.

“He spoke to the coach and said, ‘Do you want to come and train?’ The director, David Martindale, was very good to me and let me in to keep fit.

“We actually had a friendly with Dunfermline and I played in it. “One day I was at home and my agent texted me to say Dunfermline were talking to him and I should come in.

“I immediately felt at home. I have a good group of friends here.”

Mebude hopes to make his final Pars appearance when BBC Scotland cameras visit East End Park for the visit of Scottish Championship leaders Falkirk on Friday.

“I hope the club can see the best in me because it was probably difficult for a lot of people to take the risk after what I went through this year,” Mebude added.

“Obviously they have put a lot of faith in me and I just want to show the fans, the club and the coach what it means to me to play for the club.”