The Rangers kid in sweet shop: Tom Lawrence back smiling again as he lifts lid on his injury hell

Rangers midfielder Tom Lawrence is enjoying being back on a football pitch again.

The Welshman has not been short of bad luck since joining Rangers in the summer of 2022 from Derby County. His Ibrox career started so well, scoring in the Champions League play-off against PSV Eindhoven, but an injury picked up not long after in a routine win over Ross County wrecked the rest of the campaign. He did not kick another ball, ruled out by a knee issue that originally needed just rest before surgery was required, followed by setbacks in his recovery.

“It is difficult, obviously,” said the Welsh internationalist. “The start I had here was really positive and we qualified for the Champions League and I was playing well. Then you get an injury. It is hard because there are different stages of the injury so you have to the look short term rather than the long term, if you get what I mean?

“It is those little key things that you can look forward to, little aims, little goals that keep you going. There were setbacks and that was probably the most difficult thing because you think it is going to heal and it’ll be fine and then it is another setback. Then you aim for another thing and it is another setback. “It was just really disappointing, I was working so hard in the gym, for it not to come to fruition. It wasn’t good.”

Fortunately for the 29-year-old, Lawrence is back in the Rangers team and feeling fit again. He is likely to be involved in Thursday’s Europa League group-stage opener against Real Betis, which is fitting given he was robbed of playing the Champions League last season. Lawrence does not hide how much playing in European football means to him, one of the main reasons for abandoning life in England’s Championship to move north.

“I had the disappointment of last year when I missed out on Europe because of my injury,” Lawrence continued. “I really want to play in Europe and I am really looking forward to it. Winning breeds confidence, each game does that. Whether you are playing domestically or in European competitions. If you are winning then you will get confidence from those games. It’s a massive thing in football and we have a chance to start building some momentum.”

Rangers’ European commitments – plus being in the Viaplay Cup quarter-finals – means Lawrence will have the chance to keep racking up the minutes with a demanding midweek-weekend for the rest of 2023. “I can’t wait to be honest,” he said. “It’s music to my ears, it’s really exciting and I feel like a kid in a sweetie shop. I just love playing football and having missed so much I get to do that again.

“I want to get back to my best, but it’s also about enjoying your football. A lot of people forget that. Football is a game that we have all been playing from such a young age. We enjoy doing it. Some people look like they’ve got the world on their shoulders. Sometimes you just need to relax and enjoy your football. You’ll play your best football that way. I just want to get back involved. I am so happy to be back playing football again. The start I had was brilliant, but that’s in the past and I’ve got to do that all over again.”