Scott Wright walked to the departure gate believing he had played his last game for Rangers. Just a couple of months on, he trudged up the tunnel at Ibrox not knowing what the future held once again.

It could be said that this is third time lucky for Wright but the forward plays down that notion. This is a chance that he may not have expected to receive, but it is one that he has worked hard for. Wright put in the hours in the gym and now needs his minutes on the pitch.

When a summer switch to Turkish outfit Pendikspor fell through just before he signed on the dotted line, Wright returned to Rangers with the acknowledgement that his opportunities could be limited.

His fourth appearance of the season for Michael Beale came in the Englishman’s last match in charge. A red card in the defeat to Aberdeen encapsulated a wretched day for Rangers as the Ibrox crowd made their feelings perfectly clear. It was over for Beale but Wright had a shot at redemption.

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That was one of the lowest moments of Wright’s time but he has never allowed himself to carry too much of a burden or, on the flip side, get too ahead of himself. It is easy to look back now but Wright is only focused on the future as he seeks to establish himself under Philippe Clement.

A substitute appearance against Aberdeen earned him a League Cup medal in his first outing since he scored in the semi-final victory over Hearts. He came off the bench once again as St Johnstone were beaten in midweek and is now pushing for a start ahead of the trip to Motherwell.

Clement has transformed the fortunes, both individually and collectively, at Ibrox since his appointment in October. Wright has been through his own process of rehabilitation on and off the park.

“It was difficult for me,” Wright said as he reflected on the aftermath of the red card against his former club. “There had been talk before about me maybe leaving the club but I ended up staying and keeping my head down and trying to fight my way back into the team. I managed to get a start against Motherwell and I came on against Aberdeen in that game and I obviously got sent off which was so disappointing for myself. But in football there are highs and lows. If there’s a low coming then hopefully there’s another high coming soon.

“You’ve just got to try and ride it out until then. But the turnabout since then has been incredible. We are building a relationship with the fans which is good. We are just taking it game by game and trying to push on and achieve the objectives we set at the start of the season.”

Had fate dealt Wright a different hand, he could have been preparing for a Super Lig fixture with Ankaragücü this Christmas rather than making the trip to Lanarkshire. The speed of change in circumstances and fortunes in football should never surprise.

Wright has one medal, the one that completed his set at Ibrox, to his credit already this term. He could well end up with three now that Clement’s side have hauled themselves into title contention.

“It’s mad the way things work out in football,” Wright said. “I had gone out to Turkey and spoken to the club but for a few different reasons it didn’t seem right for me personally to go. I was grateful to Michael at that point because he let me go out and speak to the club.

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“But he never really pushed me out the door. He said there was a place for me here. Football moves so fast and I was grateful to come back to such a massive club and I will continue to work hard and try and fight for more opportunities.

“Hindsight is a crazy thing in football, looking back but ideally that (winning the title) would be the best case scenario for sure.”

Wright started the 5-0 win away to Dundee just weeks into Clement’s reign and then netted at Hampden once again. At that stage, he seemed set to play an important role for a new-look Rangers.

Then the Ibrox injury curse claimed another victim. Clement still has more than his fair share of issues to contend with on that front and several starters find themselves in the treatment room rather than the dressing room ahead of defining fixtures against Motherwell, Ross County, Celtic and Kilmarnock before the winter break.

His time on the sidelines irked Wright. He did, though, have plenty of familiar faces to keep him company while he embarked on his recovery programme.

“Absolutely,” Wright said. “It’s obviously a difficult time. No-one ever wants to be injured.

“But it’s part and parcel of football so you just have to get back as quick as you can and give the manager as problem picking a team because he has too many fit players.

“You don’t want to be in there too long! You don’t want to keep seeing the same physios. You just try to get out as quick as you can but you just have to make sure you go about it the right way so that once you’re back, you back fit and not always breaking down.”

Now that he is back, Wright is determined to prove himself once again. Given the schedule that Rangers are working through, he is certainly going to be needed by Clement.

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The Belgian takes his side to Fir Park within touching distance of Celtic in the standings. Come the Old Firm showdown next weekend, Rangers could have top spot in their sights.

The dynamic of the title race has changed considerably in recent weeks and it is Rangers who have the momentum at present. Any talk of the silverware will be rebuked by the boss, however.

“‘I think that’s something the manager is very good on, making sure we don’t get complacent,” Wright said. “I think you could see during the game in midweek he doesn’t want that at all. He wants us to be at it all the time.

“He spoke after the Betis game that he didn’t want us to get such a good result in Europe then take a poor performance into the game at the weekend. He batters that message home to us every day to make sure we keep moving forward as a club and a team.”

If Wright does indeed earn a start against the Steelmen, it is likely that Ross McCausland will make way. The wings are - with Abdallah Sima one of the form players of the season and Rabbi Matondo back after his own absence - an area where Clement does have options at present.

The loss of Kemar Roofe in midweek leaves Cyriel Dessers as the only recognised striker, though. If it comes to it, Clement may have to fit squad pegs in round holes.

“Yeah definitely,” Wright said when asked if he could play through the middle if required. “I’m just here to try to help the team as much as I can, whether that’s coming off the bench or starting in any position. That could be as a No. 9 or in the centre of the park.

“I think everyone of my team-mates would do the same. They all want to get minutes, ideally in their position but they’re all ready to fight for the manager and the club in any position they’re offered.”