GLEN Kamara will line up for Rangers in the Europa League final tonight.

But it was with Southend United the midfielder first learnt his trade in British football.

Kamara was at the Shrimpers in his youth before returning to Roots Hall on loan in 2016.

And Blues winger Jack Bridge played alongside Kamara in both of his spells with Southend.

“I can’t remember what year it was we were first together but it was before the youth team because he left to go to Arsenal and did his scholarship there,” recalled Bridge.

“He came back on loan a few years later and he’s always been a class player.

“He maybe struggled a bit at this kind of level and he didn’t play loads on loan here.

“But the quality he has and the way he plays football the higher he went the better he would be.

“He’s shown that and he’s always had a touch of class.

“He was always comfortable on the ball and could control a game.

"He could play at any tempo he wanted the game to be.

"You could always tell he was very good and it’s brilliant what he’s gone on to do."

Rangers take on Eintracht Frankfurt in this evening's final in Seville with Kamara expected to start in the centre of the park.

The 26-year-old has been at Rangers since 2019 and has made 156 appearances for the club.