Thistle keeper Scully hoping to create some happier Ibrox memories
RYAN SCULLY is one of only two Partick Thistle players to have played at Ibrox, but it is doubtful whether many of his team-mates will be seeking him out for advice ahead of today’s game.
The goalkeeper’s three visits to face Rangers at their Govan home have not ended well, with three defeats and nine goals conceded while playing for Dunfermline in League One during the 2013/14 season.
A dislocated toe on one of those occasions only added to the litany of woes at the venue, but the Irishman is hoping to make some happier memories this time around as he lines up there for the first time with his current club Partick Thistle.
“It’s been a bit of a mixed bag for me at Ibrox, to be honest,” Scully admitted.
“In the first game we actually kept them quiet for the first 70 minutes until we got a man sent off. The second game we were 3-0 down after 20 minutes and the third game I was off after five minutes and on my way to hospital. I was shipped into an ambulance straight away.
“I had a dislocated toe, it wasn’t great. I got it from my own player, too. I’ve watched the incident back a few times and I’m still now sure how it happened. It wasn’t nice but it’s a great experience to go to Ibrox and I’m sure all the boys are looking forward to it.
“The noise is deafening and it’s hard to communicate out on the pitch. It’s an unbelievable atmosphere. It’s hard to communicate when it’s so loud but we will do our best. If we score first, that would help quiet the crowd. It’s easy to say ‘go to Ibrox and enjoy the experience’ but we want a positive result.”
There are parallels to be drawn between both Rangers’ and Thistle’s seasons so far, with both teams feeling their points total doesn’t reflect the way they have been playing.
Scully recognises the hosts will be under huge pressure to get a result, but doesn’t buy the theory that it is a good time to face Mark Warburton’s men.
“It’s a completely different team since I played them with Dunfermline,” he said. “They like to build from the back and their passing and movement is good. Right now they are probably only lacking getting that killer goal in the final third. But they are a very good team.
“We know exactly what we are in for and we will all need to be on top of our game to get a result.
“This Rangers team is not used to having a bad run of results. They strolled it in the Championship last year.
“I think they will be hurting after their defeat at Aberdeen.
“They will be wanting to put it right with a good result this weekend in front of their home fans.
“I don’t think it’s a good time to get them but we have been playing well lately and doing everything bar scoring our chances. We need to take our chances and hopefully we can do that.”