Career
Early career
Rankine began his career as a schoolboy at Manchester United, but was not offered a YTS contract and was released. He subsequently joined his hometown club Doncaster Rovers and progressed through their youth system, being part of the team that reached the 1988 FA Youth Cup final. Doncaster Rovers
The following season he was an ever-present, scoring 11 goals during the season.
After two further seasons as a mainstay of the Doncaster midfield, he attracted interest from other clubs.
Wolverhampton Wanderers
He was eventually sold to Wolverhampton Wanderers of the Second Division for £70,000 in January 1992. Although not as much an automatic choice as at his previous club, Rankine still featured regularly, amassing 167 appearances in total (though scoring just once) for the club over a four-and-a-half-year stay.
Preston North End
By the start of the 1996-1997 season he was no longer part of manager Mark McGhee"s plans and was sold to Preston North End for £100,000 in September 1996. Rankine went on to make more appearances for Preston than for any of his other clubs over a seven-year association.
However, they lost 3–0 to Bolton Wanderers in that final.
Sheffield United
After Craig Brown had replaced David Moyes as Preston manager for the 2002-2003 season, Rankine found his place under threat and he finished the campaign on loan at Sheffield United. This move offered him a second chance at promotion as United reached the play-off final, but Rankine again missed out on top-flight football as they lost to his former club Wolverhampton Wanderers (inflicting a second successive 3–0 final defeat on him). Despite this disappointment, Sheffield United retained Rankine"s services, signing him permanently in July 2003.
He remained at Bramall Lane for just one full season before his contract expired and he left for Tranmere Rovers.
Tranmere Rovers
Rankine"s first season with Tranmere saw him again reach the play-offs but they lost their semi-final tie on penalties to Hartlepool United. He had planned to retire at the end of the campaign but decided to sign a one-year extension in the close season.
His second season was more of a struggle, and he opted to have his contract terminated by mutual consent and retire before the season"s conclusion after finding it tough to play as regularly aged 36. In 2008 Rankine started working as a football agent.
