Former Rangers star earns shock Scotland call-up after seven-year absence as defender withdraws

Centre-back earns international recall as Pocognoli suffers second blow

David Bates has received a shock Scotland call-up for the first time in seven years after head coach Sebestien Pocognoli was hit with another key withdrawal in defence.

The former Rangers and Aberdeen centre-back has been capped four times but has not featured for the national team since the opening round of Euro 2020 qualifying back in March 2019.

The 30-year-old has been called into the squad for the Nations League matches against North Macedonia and Switzerland as a replacement for Brondby captain Luis Binks, who has been forced to withdraw due to an unspecified issue.

David Bates, left, in action for Standard Liege last season, has been recalled to the Scotland squad for the first time since March 2019. | BELGA MAG/AFP via Getty Images

placeholder image — David Bates, left, in action for Standard Liege last season, has been recalled to the Scotland squad for the first time since March 2019. | BELGA MAG/AFP via Getty Images

It is the second blow in defence for Pocognoli, who also recalled Los Angeles FC centre-back Ryan Porteous last week after Swansea defender Stephen Welsh dropped out.

Bates' surprise return to the international fold follows a strong start to the Süper Lig season in Turkey with newly-promoted Amedspor, who have surprassed expectations to sit third in the table after 11 matches.

He spent the previous four seasons in Belgium with two years at Mechelen followed by a similar spell at Standard Liege, who sold him to Amedspor in the summer for £420,000.

The Kirkcaldy-born defender started his career with Raith Rovers before earning a development loan move to Rangers which became permanent in January 2017. He left Ibrox just 18 months later to join German side Hamburg where he spent three years which included loan spells at Sheffield Wednesday and Cercle Brugge.

He returned to Scotland to join Aberdeen in 2021 but left Pittodrie the following summer to embark on a career in Belgium.

Bates made his Scotland debut under Alex McLeish in a 4-0 win over Albania in November 2018 and followed this up with his second cap three days later in a 3-2 win over Israel. He also played in the infamous 3-0 defeat in Kazakhstan and the 2-0 win over San Marino in March 2019 before McLeish was sacked the following month.

Steve Clarke drafted Bates into the squad in September 2019 as late injury cover but he was an unused substitute in the defeats by Russia and Belgium at Hampden. Clarke never selected Bates again before resigning after the 2026 World Cup.