Kyle Lafferty admits injury left him 'looking like a clown'

The Rangers striker suffered the freak injury during horseplay with team-mate Gregg Wylde at the club's Murray Park training ground before last week's Champions League clash with Manchester United at Ibrox.

Lafferty, 23, apologised to manager Walter Smith for his "stupidity" and for giving him more selection problems. He said: "I was messing about while coming off the bus last Wednesday morning. I fell and fractured my wedding finger in two different places.

"Walter Smith didn't say anything at first, but I knew he was furious. We were already down to the bare bones for the Manchester United game.

"I don't know if I was starting against United, but I'd like to think I would have been because we were struggling for numbers. I apologised to him at the game and just said my stupidity had left me looking like a clown - and given him a bigger headache."

Smith was already without five established stars and was forced in to playing rookie midfielder Kyle Hutton in the 1-0 defeat.

Lafferty, struggling to be fit for the 2 January derby against Celtic at Ibrox, added: "Because of my messing about I'm facing the possibility of a decent period out of the team.

"But that's my punishment and I've got to accept it. I'm annoyed with myself. It was wrong for me to be messing about on the day of the game."

Wylde, 19, said yesterday: "It was just a wee incident coming off the bus and it was his fault so he can't complain too much. It was hard luck for Kyle with it happening just before the game and I think he was a bit scared about what the gaffer was going to say."

Hutton was more than happy to take advantage of the incident, admitting: "Kyle's misfortune led to me getting a game and these things happen.

"We had a short training session at Murray Park on Wednesday morning. Just after the training session, the gaffer came over and told me I was starting, which was great.

"There were both nerves and excitement but I was just delighted to be playing. The roar of the crowd was just fantastic. It's something I won't ever forget.

"I was delighted. But nothing's changed, I'll continue to do what I was doing before I played in the game and hopefully I can get another chance."

Hutton hopes to use the United clash as the springboard for his fledgling career at Rangers. He said: "I just want to keep going and hopefully keep doing what I'm doing. Hopefully I'll keep getting my chances from the gaffer. It's all down to me. If I can take those chances, maybe I can try to break my way in and cement my place."