Former Wolves man Mark Rankine stars behind the scenes

The former Wolves midfielder has swapped boots for a mobile telephone and a sharp suit having become one of the country’s most successful football agents.

Rankine, who made 132 appearances for Wolves after joining from Doncaster Rovers for £70,000 in 1992, is the agent behind the world record £50million transfer which took Tottenham and England defender Kyle Walker from White Hart Lane to the billionaires of Manchester City.

The fee for the 27-year-old is the most ever shelled out for a defender and that is in no small part down to the work done behind the scenes by the ex-Molineux man, who was signed by Graham Turner.

That’s because Rankine, now aged 47, has become one of the leading intermediaries with top football agents Base Soccer, who have their headquarters in London.

It is a huge step up for Rankine, who is believed to have earned a multi-million pound commission from the huge Walker deal for his bosses at Base.

Rankine has represented Walker for a number of years after recruiting him, as well as a number of other rising football stars in Yorkshire.

Rankine is also the agent of Spurs’ defender Danny Rose, a close friend of Walker’s, who came through the youth ranks at Leeds United when Walker was making his way as a young player at Sheffield United.

Fortunately for Rankine, Rose also happens to be his nephew.

However, it is the deal that took Walker to the Etihad Stadium which has propelled Rankine into the premier league of agents.

It is a far cry from Rankine’s own football career which peaked at Wolves in the Championship before he was sold to Preston North End by Wolves boss Mark McGhee.

Rankine went on to play for seven years at Deepdale before moving on to Sheffield United and Tranmere Rovers.