Todd Cantwell convinced he can follow in the footsteps of former team-mate James Maddison

Todd Cantwell has arrived in Glasgow with an important point to make. To the Norwich City fans. To Rangers fans. But, above all, himself.

The story of the midfielder’s career to date is one of ups and downs. A local boy did good without ever reaching the levels of greatness that many felt he could have done. Not yet, at least.

As Cantwell was rising through the ranks at Carrow Road, it was said that managers found it difficult to separate his talents from that of James Maddison, who had been recruited from Coventry City. Both were seen as capable of going as far in the game as they wanted.

Maddison secured a £20 million move to Leicester, won the FA Cup and became a full England international. He is now on the radar of Newcastle and Manchester City.

Two years younger than his former teammate, the 24-year-old Cantwell has certainly had his days in the sun. But not as many as expected.

Todd Cantwell is trying to get his career back on track with the Rangers after a rough few years.

He looks at James Maddison (right), a friend, as a path to the top that he can emulate himself.

Cantwell (left) and Maddison (right) crossed paths as children in Norwich.

However, he firmly believes that his star can rise again, and that he can even match Maddison’s trajectory late.

‘Definitely. I’ve tried it,’ she said. I have played in the Premier League, I have scored goals. I have played against the best teams and I have played well. I don’t doubt my ability.

‘Everyone’s trips and situations are different. He (Maddison) is a fantastic footballer and has done amazing things in his career so far. Everyone has a different journey and I hope mine can end well too.

I have kept in touch with him. It’s hard when you have such busy schedules. Listen, if I needed any advice from him, I’m sure he’d get back to me, that’s for sure.

Cantwell has already met both triumph and disaster in the game. He also set out to broaden his horizons through loan spells with Dutch side Fortuna Sittard and Bournemouth.

Rangers represents a step up in terms of expectation and scrutiny, but he’s seen and experienced enough in the game and in life in general that it shouldn’t faze him.

“I think I’ve had a pretty dramatic start to my career, really,” he added. ‘I had four promotions, one relegation and had a few different bits and pieces. To be honest, it puts me in a good place where I know what I want to be and where I want to go. I want to be a winner, and coming to Rangers was definitely a good idea.’

I needed this change of scenery and to hear different voices. Even in one of the quieter corners of England, the criticism she received when she discovered things were difficult was wild. He wouldn’t be human if it didn’t affect him.

“(Trust) is probably something that has been dented externally but, internally, it’s not something that is lost,” he said. “Unfortunately, as a footballer you have to isolate yourself from a very young age and have that ‘me against the world’ mentality.

Michael Beale (left) has handed Cantwell an opportunity at Ibrox and he is keen to take it.

There are a lot of people who want to become a professional footballer, so you have to go through a pretty tough journey. Anyone in any line of work can lose trust from outsiders.’

It was not a friendly departure from Norwich, as Cantwell was subjected to some stinging online abuse from fans.

More criticism flew his way when he later wrote on Instagram: “The situation and the way I was treated will be revealed and my fans and the fans of the club will know the truth.” This left more questions than answers.

“It had more to do with the fact that, when I left Norwich, I didn’t really do the standard kind of opening letter,” he added.

‘That, to me, is because there is time for that. Right now the important thing for me is to keep playing and having fun. When it’s okay to say how I feel about certain situations, then I will.’

At least the memory of his loan spell in the Netherlands five years ago will only be positive. Cantwell made only ten appearances for Sittard, but his brief time there proved to be very enriching.

“I went there and it became a fairy tale,” he explained.

He has been the target of much criticism online, but now he loves the pressure of playing for Rangers.

‘We ended up getting promoted for the first time in, I think, 16 years. I am very happy that Fortuna has managed to stay in the Eredivisie ever since.”

Your current situation differs from your previous posts in one crucial respect. The Rangers are expected to win every game and every national competition they enter. This may require some adjustment.

“At Norwich, when we were in the Championship, we also had that responsibility and they promoted us to win every game, really,” he recalled.

‘Being here and being in all the cup competitions and things like that, is a greater weight (of expectation). But it’s something I personally love.’