Gary Naysmith: Joleon Lescott won’t be joining Rangers for money.. it’s all about the football

GARY NAYSMITH helped Joleon Lescott settle in at Everton — then saw him take his place in the team.

The East Fife player/manager became good pals with the Rangers signing target when they were at Goodison Park together.

Naysmith revealed he used to drive Lescott to training following his £5million move to the Toffees from Wolves ten years ago.

The neighbours and team-mates became good pals — even when the future England stopper nicked the former Scotland left-back’s place in the team.

Naysmith said: “When he came to us Joleon bought a house round the corner from where I lived. I used to pick him up and take him to training.

“He was a really quiet lad, I think he was being respectful of the move he’d made.

“I think when he came to Everton he knew he was at a bigger club at a higher level than the one he’d been at.

“He’d come from Wolves to a club who were established in the Premier League and where there were a lot of good pros.

“The strange thing was that although he’d come as a central defender he couldn’t get into the team at first — we’d Alan Stubbs, Davie Weir and Joseph Yobo and he had to be patient for his chance. In fact, when he did get into the team it was at left-back!

“I was injured and he got a few games there, then when I came back he played just in front of me.

“But I do remember that he was really good at left-back.

“It might sound strange because he was such a big guy but he looked really comfortable there.”

But once he got his shot at centre-back he was even more comfortable and Naysmith knew he was there to stay.

Lescott’s form in his first season at Everton saw him voted Players’ Player of the Year and he won his first England cap in October 2007

Naysmith added: “In time he gravitated to central defence and once he was there he stayed there.

“Even though he had to be patient at first it wasn’t a problem for him. He was on a long-term contract and the people at Everton always had faith he’d be a big player for them — and so it proved.

“He was left-sided and there weren’t many left-sided central defenders around.

“He was a decent user of the ball as well — he didn’t have Stubbsy’s passing ability but he was comfortable on it.

“He was already physically strong but at the training ground he was always in the gym.

“I know the mentality has changed and players really look after themselves now but he was like that even then.

“Joleon was always very particular about what he ate. Everything had to be nutritious and good for him.

“Where other players would have a beer after a game he’d go two or three months at a time without a drink.

“When you added his physicality, it wasn’t long before other clubs were looking at him and eventually he got a really big move to Manchester City.

“He was one of those people you sometimes get at clubs that you don’t have a criticism of, either on the park or off it. He was one of those lads you couldn’t fail to like.”

Lescott is looking to come north after a frustrating season at Aston Villa where he earned the wrath of fans.

The first time came in February when he tweeted a picture of a £120,000 Mercedes car hours after his side had suffered their worst home league defeat since 1935.

Then two months later he copped the flak again for referring to Villa’s relegation as a “weight off the shoulders” of the players. But Naysmith defended his big pal.

He said: “I doubt if there’s any player who can say every move they made throughout their careers worked.

“Maybe for Joleon, Villa was one move that didn’t work out.

“But the good thing about Rangers’ interest in him is that if he comes here, he’s NOT coming for the money.

“With all due respect to Rangers, there are plenty of clubs down south who’d be able to pay him more than Rangers can.

“If he’s coming here he’s coming for the challenge and for football reasons, not to pick up a pay cheque.

“People have talked about the ages of guys like Kolo Toure and Joleon but Kolo’s last game for Liverpool was the Europa League final and Joleon’s was an England international.

“Sure, the Scottish Premiership isn’t the same level as its English equivalent but Toure is a fantastic signing for Celtic and if they get him, Joleon will be a fantastic one for Rangers.”