Patient Hutton now aiming to stay in the groove
KYLE HUTTON had waited long enough for his opportunity that he wasn’t about to complain about being handed a thankless, if not impossible, task.
Thrown into the fray just half an hour into Rangers’ recent 4-0 defeat to Hibs at Easter Road, the midfielder’s role was strictly one of damage limitation.
His team was already 2-0 down when caretaker boss Kenny McDowall turned to the 23-year-old as Ian Black teetered on the brink of receiving a red card two days after Christmas.
With McDowall selecting him for the subsequent three fixtures — albeit Friday night’s appearance was cut short amid the Ibrox snowstorm — the interim boss has shown more faith in him than Ally McCoist ever did.
‘It was unusual to come on so early in the game against Hibs,’ Hutton admitted. ‘It wasn’t the ideal time to get my chance but I had to prove to Kenny I was worth the shot.
‘Hopefully I’ve repaid him by putting in some good performances.
‘This is my time and I need to make sure I make the most of it.’
Handed his debut by Walter Smith in 2010 and selected to start a Champions League tie against Manchester United that same season, Hutton appeared set for big things.
He was loaned out to Partick Thistle and Dunfermline during McCoist’s first year in charge and then found his route to the first team blocked by new recruits, with Black the principal barrier to a place.
Although Black may have the experience, McDowall admits he likes the look of his midfield now that Hutton has been introduced to complement Nicky Law and his forward-going instincts.
‘Kyle is a big guy — 6ft 2in — and he’s a good football player,’ McDowall said. ‘When you’ve got someone like Kyle who sits and protects the back lot and takes the ball from them, it allows you to get the full-backs forward.
‘He and Nicky work off each other brilliantly. Nicky has 10 goals this season and he knows he can go and Kyle will look after it behind him.’
McDowall insists the challenge for Hutton now is to stay in the team and prove he deserves another year at the club.
Hutton added: ‘I want to stay at Rangers. It has never crossed my mind to go anywhere else.’