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Return always on mind after painful exit - Davis


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Steven Davis admits he always believed he would return to Rangers after the painful end to his trophy-laden first spell at the club.

The Northern Ireland international has never been back to Ibrox in the six-and-a-half years since he left the Light Blues for Southampton.

It was a disastrous finish to an otherwise successful time with Rangers plunged into administration during a traumatic time for players and staff.

For Davis himself it was made even worse after he picked up an injury after just eight minutes having set up the early opening for Lee McCulloch in a 3-1 home win over St Mirren in April 2012.

That came on the day celtic won the first of their seven titles since Davis departed - and Steven Gerrard has recruited the midfielder in the hope of halting that run.

In a twist of fate, the Buddies will again be the opponents when Davis next walks out at Ibrox in February for the first home game after the winter break.

Davis admitted it will be an emotional time as he sets his sights on a fairytale ending to his second spell by helping the club to their first major trophy in eight years

The 34-year-old has rejoined the club on an initial six-month loan deal and said of his departure: “You never really know how football is going to work out but it was in my mind for sure, that I might get the opportunity to one day come back.

“Things don’t always work out the way you want them too which is why I am so happy to be back. As soon as I heard Rangers were interested I just wanted it done

“It was a great period for me personally and a great period for the club with all the trophies that we won. I haven’t been back to Ibrox since I left, I always wanted to, I always hoped I would get back.

“With my schedule down south the opportunity never really presented itself. I’m really excited about walking back out, it will probably be a bit emotional.

“When you leave the club you never really know if the opportunity will come around again so I can’t wait to walk back out at Ibrox.”

Davis admitted nobody could have predicted the catastrophic events of 2012 from which the club are still trying to recover after working their way back from Scottish football’s bottom tier.

While the likes of Lee McCulloch and Lee Wallace stayed with the club others left and fans haven’t forgiven some players - Steven Naismith in particular - for leaving on free transfers.

Davis at least landed the club a fee and is the third player to return from the team that year after Allan McGregor and countryman and close friend Kyle Lafferty.

He said: “The fans just want to see their team doing well on the pitch. It was a difficult time for everyone.

“Greegsy for example has come in and made a huge contribution. I know from my time here before that the fans want and expect 100 per cent commitment.

“I can’t wait to show the fans again what I’m all about, I want to help the team and make an impact.

“If you said to anyone that that scenario would unfold they would have found it hard to believe.

“Nobody in a million years expected to find themselves in that situation and it’s easy to say you would have done this and that.”

Davis might be vastly experienced with over 100 caps for Northern Ireland spells in the English Premier League either side of his first Ibrox stint.

But the veteran midfielder feels there is still plenty he can learn from Gerrard and his international team-mate Gareth McAuley who earned a move to his boyhood heroes at the age of 39.

Davis said: “The manager is an icon of the game and someone I always looked up to. He was one of the best midfielders around and I am sure I can learn a lot from him.

It wasn’t easy to play against him, he had everything in his locker but hopefully he can give me some tips and help me improve my own game.

“Listen, you are always learning as a player. Gareth McAuley is a great example to us all in terms of how to look after yourself.”

Davis has enjoyed his time in the Spanish sun along with fellow new signing Jermain Defoe and said: “It was important for me to get myself to Tenerife and get with the boys as quickly as possible.

“I wanted to see how the manager works too because you want to hit the ground running following the winter break.

“It is something that has been talked about for a while so I’m happy to finally get it over the line.

“It’s good time to be back because since the start of the season there has been a lot of positivity around the club.

“The boys did superbly well in Europe and they were very unfortunate not to qualify from their group.

“The league form has been good too and, of course, it was all topped off with that win over celtic. That has given everyone at the club a huge psychological boost

 

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14 minutes ago, Bobby Hume said:

I just hope he does the business for the time he is here .... then along with all the rest of them I can't wait for the announcement of their retirement .... I just can't be arsed with all this shit about how hard it was for them and how emotional it's going to be .... it just rakes up all the horrendous memories of how really hard it was for us to take.

We get it mate you're glad to be back .... prove it on the park that's all we ask .... spare us the melodrama ... that's what Netflix is for.

:UK:

 

For sure mate, we should be expecting a few biographies from those that left. Will keep the immigrants entertained. 

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At least he’s acknowledged it, even if the schedule part is a load of shite. 

After what McGregor has delivered, I’m willing to accept him back and get behind him. 

Same goes for Davis if he does the same. Ultimately achieving 55 takes priority above everything else. 

Naismith and Whittaker on the other hand...

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'I'm really sorry for leaving, Rangers fans. If i could go back and do it over again, i would definitely tupe over and play in the bottom tier of scottish football and just waited until some other English premiership team offering me £17m in wages'

That's what he should have said, rat bastard.

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