Massive Rangers boost as injury absentee returns

Graeme Murty has confirmed today that defender Russell Martin has recovered from the back injury which laid him out recently and has fully returned to training.

The 32-year old may not have had the most outstanding time at Ibrox so far, but with David Bates now ruled out till late April, the on-loan Norwich stopper’s importance has dramatically grown in light of the alternative options Murty has for the backline.

Bruno Alves is certain to keep his place tomorrow, and it is equally likely Martin will partner him, and that means a back four of Tavernier, Martin, Alves and John.

Rangers’ defensive options really are not great right now, but Martin’s return at least increases the options, thin though they are, and is rather timely in light of Bates’ medium-term injury, which was confirmed incidentally as ligament damage.

Rangers really do not have injury troubles to seek right now, with Graham Dorrans not yet match fit, Lee Wallace more or less the same, Ross McCorie out for the foreseeable future and Ryan Jack out for the season, not to mention Jordan Rossiter’s constant injury blight.

Adding Bates to that is not ideal, so Martin’s return is timely, even if he is hardly Paolo Maldini.