A Lang time coming for Ibrox match
Raith defender Tom Lang will savour his long-awaited chance to play at Ibrox as a bonus for the hard work in getting back from a serious injury.
The Englishman spent a season with Rangers under Mark Warburton in 2015-16 after moving from Birmingham’s youth academy but did not feature for the first team.
After several trial periods, the centreback has carved out a career in Scotland’s lower leagues with Dumbarton, Clyde, Dunfermline and now Rovers, who face Rangers in the Scottish Cup quarter-finals this afternoon.
Ahead of his Ibrox debut, Lang told RaithTV: “I have never done it before so I’m really looking forward to it. You want to play at the best places and against the best teams to test yourself.
“It’s an opportunity I have been waiting a long time for so I’m looking forward to finally getting to play on the pitch.
“Ross McCrorie is still there from my time but I think it’s just James Tavernier from the first-team squad.”
Lang has an added reason to relish the occasion after returning from a serious knee injury in December following 10 months out.
The 25-year-old said: “When you are in the gym working away you just look forward to any game, being back on the pitch and training.
“To be going to Ibrox in the Scottish Cup quarter-final is amazing. It’s an added bonus and I’m looking forward to it.
“This is what you work so hard for when you are trying to get back as quickly as possible, for weeks like these.
“It’s crazy to look back on those times now. You can take it for granted when you are back and you might have had a bad game or a bad result and you are unhappy.
“You sometimes forget how hard it was back then when you were working so hard in the gym.”