Tom Walsh doesn't want Rangers to be remembered as failures
Sunday 31 May 2015 14:58, UK
Rangers midfielder Tom Walsh admits the fear of being remembered as a team that failed will drive his side on as they try to turn around their SPFL Premiership play-off final against Motherwell.
The Ibrox club surprisingly lost 3-1 in the first leg at home to Ian Baraclough’s side on Thursday as Lee Erwin, Stephen McManus and Lionel Ainsworth scored to shock most of the 49,200-strong crowd.
Manager Stuart McCall is bidding to take Rangers back into Scottish football’s top flight in the quickest time possible.
Having been voted out of the former SPL in 2012 and put into the old Third Division, the Glasgow team have been working their way back up through the ranks ever since.
Now, however, they face a difficult task as they bid to come from behind this weekend and overcome opponents who are bidding to prolong their three-decade stay among the country’s elite clubs.
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Walsh knows it will take something special for Rangers to emerge from the two-legged final on top ahead of the return game at Fir Park on Sunday.
Expectations have always been high at Scotland’s most successful football club though and the teenager doesn’t want to let a sizeable support down.
The 18-year-old said: "It's been a long three years for everyone here so you could say Sunday's game is one of the biggest games in the club's history.
"We all want to get back to where we want to be, and to do it in three years. We are still in it. We've taken it to the last game and we're by no means out of it.
"No one here wants to be remembered as being part of the team that failed to get promotion. We can't change the position we are in but we will give everything on Sunday.”
Darren McGregor’s goal eight minutes from the end of the initial match gives Rangers more hope as they prepare to travel to nearby Lanarkshire.
Walsh concedes McCall’s men must start brightly and strike again early if they are to build any momentum and ensure promotion.
He added: "Getting the goal back at the end has probably kept us in the tie. Three-nil would have been very difficult to come back from.
"We are still in it. The first goal will be massive on Sunday. We believe if we get it or even if we don't that we will go right to the end. We have nothing to lose now.
"We believe if we can get the first goal we can put pressure on Motherwell, hopefully pin them back and take it from there."
