Ryan Jack ramps up Rangers injury return as midfielder comes through major test against Queen's Park
Jack is hoping to play a part in the crucial finale to the season and cleared a major hurdle today.
Ryan Jack made his return to Rangers action as he started for the B-team against Queen's Park in the Glasgow Cup.
The midfielder hasn't played for the top team since February with his latest injury problem but is hoping to play a part in a box office finale to the season with a Treble still on the cards as things stand. He also has Euro 2024 in his sights and playing again for Philippe Clement before the curtain comes down on the domestic season on May 25 will be critical to his chances.
There was a big step forward for Jack on Thursday though as he played the first 45 minutes of Gers' 2-1 win over the Spiders at the Rangers Training Centre. He was replaced by Findlay Curtis at the half-time interval and it represents his first significant game-time in nearly three months.
Alex Lowry also featured and B-team boss David McCallum was delighted to get the use of two senior pros. he said: “I thought we saw the influence of different age groups around the team. In the last few weeks we’ve been training with different numbers of players for various reasons given the Under-18s season is still ongoing and we have a lot of players training with the first-team.
“We brought together a group of players to try and make sure we perform well but also to win the game too. I look at Alex Lowry coming back in for his first game. We gave him 30 minutes to build his way back into it, which was a pre-planned situation.
“Likewise, Ryan Jack getting 45 minutes. For the young lads to have that experience around them and feel that influence was evident, not only in the game but also the preparation leading up to it.”
Speaking about Jack's potential return previously, top team gaffer Clement said: "He is a difficult one. He was on a good way back last week but then he felt it again so we are looking for other solutions to get him back.
"We lost some time there so week-by-week we are looking for solutions. It's a problem with his calves and it's something that's already there for years. It's something that needs to be solved but I'm also not a manager who wants to get a player back for one game and then he's out for three months."