Tom Lawrence lifts lid on Rangers injury hell after 'perfect' start to Ibrox career as he reveals return target

Tom Lawrence has opened up on his injury torment as he targets a Rangers return to competitive first team action.

The 29-year-old was crocked almost a year ago and admitted his frustration after initially thinking he would only be out for around four months. Lawrence says the pain was made worse but he fact he had made a “perfect” start to his Ibrox career after arriving on a free transfer last summer following his departed from Derby County.

Wales International Lawrence netted three times, including in the Champions League playoff against PSV Eindhoven, in nine appearances for Giovanni van Bronckhorst’s Light Blues before he suffered a serious knee injury in a seemingly innocuous blow at the end of a home win over Ross County and eventually needed an operation. He returned for the pre-season friendly win over Hamburg but had a “hiccup” in training and is now looking to kick on and put it behind him.

He told Rangers TV: “It’s been really tough, one of the toughest I’ve had to face in my career. I’ve never been out that long. Tough in the sense the injury wasn’t actually an 11-month injury. It was supposed to heal naturally and it didn’t so it meant I needed an operation in the end which is always tough to take. You think you’ll be back in four months, then it’s six months and it ends up being 10, 11 months.

“It’s tough, not nice at all. You have many obstacles in that, a lot of frustration, but you have one aim and that’s to get back on that pitch. The staff have been brilliant, the whole club’s been great, the lads, the physio staff. Anything you need they’ve always been there. Obviously it doesn’t take the frustration away but they’re always there to support you.

“I had a little hiccup with a little challenge in