John’s up to speed after early debut call

DECLAN JOHN was frustrated he couldn’t mark his Rangers bow with three points against Partick Thistle on Friday night.

The Welshman made his first appearance since joining from Cardiff City on deadline day as an early replacement for captain Lee Wallace.

Alfredo Morelos fired the Gers in front at the Energy Check at Firhill Stadium, but it took a late leveller from Graham Dorrans to rescue a point for Pedro Caixinha’s side.

John said: “Seeing Lee go down early, I didn’t expect to get a call so early on. I am really happy to get on and I thought I did quite well.

“When you are coming off the bench that early in the game, it is still a bit mad and there are things going on.

“So to get chucked in early, it is hard to get used to the pace first of all. I thought I got there in the end and did pretty well.

“In the last two games [against Ross County and Dundee] the boys have got wins but I think we showed that we can play. For me coming in, I like to play. I think we did quite well to get a second goal towards the end of the game.

“You are pushing to get a winner at the end of the game. There were a lot of balls in the box to try and get a goal. We pushed in the last ten minutes but couldn’t get it.”

John will spend the remainder of the campaign at Ibrox after agreeing a season-long loan deal from the Bluebirds.

And he is confident the hightempo nature of Scottish football will suit his style as he looks to make his mark in Light Blue.

He said: “I thought it was fast. Even the training we do, it is bang, bang, bang, it is very quick.

“The games I have seen on TV are quick as well. I think that suits me and I think with some of the football we did play, we could have got the goal at the end.”