A Neutral Spectator

[ian1964 10,411]

JORDAN MCMILLAN will have mixed emotions this weekend when he sits in the stands at New Douglas Park to watch Rangers take on Hamilton Accies.

 

The young defender moved on loan to Billy Reid's side at the start of January and has grown fond of his new surroundings and teamates

 

Jordan McMillanBut he has never hidden his love for the Gers and when his current deal with the Accies ends in May he will return to Murray Park with one objective in mind - to make the grade as a first-team player with the club he has always supported.

 

Jordan will not feature in Saturday's game due to an agreement between the clubs but is now fit and ready for action having suffered a frustrating spell on the treatment table with a hamstring injury picked up in his first game against Ross County on January 10.

 

Getting back in to the Hamilton first-team will be easier said than done for the 20-year-old who has watched on as the club went on a six game winning streak before losing in the SPL to Motherwell on February 14.

 

They then got back to winning form against Falkirk last weekend.

 

McMillan has been hugely impressed with the group of players he has joined and insists Rangers will have to be at their best if they are to get three points from this weekend's crucial SPL clash.

 

He said: "Hamilton are definitely an up and coming team just now and there is a good mix of youth and experienced players.

 

"The young lads are bursting with enthusiasm which undoubtedly helps the team.

 

"I have been well impressed with the likes of James McArthur, James McCarthy and Brian Easton.

 

"They have been very good and you can see that there are players coming through behind them for the future also. Jordan McMillan and Paul McGowan

 

"But to balance things up you have more experienced pros such as Mark McLaughlin who has a key role for the Accies.

 

"He is 33 and you can learn a lot from the way he conducts himself and his attitude to training and games, he is a lot like Davie Weir.

 

"He always wants to help the young kids and that helps a lot.

 

"I definitely think Hamilton has a great team spirit and they are going places.

 

"They will be up for the game against Rangers and will go in to it with no fear.

 

"They recently went six games unbeaten so I think the boys are confident they can beat anyone and stay in the SPL which would be a great achievement."

 

Jordan is hoping he can now play his part in the SPL run-in with the Accies and show Billy Reid and the management team at Rangers that he is ready to take the next step in his blossoming career.

 

He said: "It's been great being at Hamilton, I needed the change to be honest.

 

Jordan McMillan"I have been at Rangers for a long time and found it difficult to push in the first-team this season

 

"So I had to go out and gain a bit of first-team experience.

 

"It's just a pity that I broke down with an injury almost straight away but that has cleared now and I am just desperate to get back in the team and get a few games under my belt.

 

"Leaving Rangers was not something I never really intended on doing.

 

"I always said that I am a massive Bluenose and in the last couple of seasons when I spoke to the Rangers News I always said I never wanted to leave at any point. I want to be kicked out the door.

 

"But as a career opportunity coming to Hamilton has been hugely beneficial and it was something I had to do.

 

"I spoke to a lot of experienced players and the coaches at Murray Park as well as my family.

 

"I looked for advice from everyone really and with the size of the first-team squad at Rangers right now it is difficult to break through.

 

"But being at Hamilton has opened my eyes a lot in a good way.

 

"They are an up and coming team and are trying to establish themselves in the SPL as am I. Pedro Mendes

 

"That is why I decided to join the club until the end of the season and I have learned a lot.

 

"You are fighting for a different cause and I had to adapt quickly.

 

"But it has been a great experience and I couldn't have asked for a better bunch of boys to be working with."

 

Walter Smith recently admitted his first-team squad could be trimmed from 28 players down to 20 in the summer with several youngsters being drafted in to make up the difference.

 

Jordan believes this will provide a massive incentive for every Reserve and under-19 player at Murray Park and he will be doing everything in his power to secure one of those places.

 

He said: "Obviously when you are at Rangers it is more difficult to push in to the first-team because of the quality there and the size of the squad.

 

"But it has been well documented that that the gaffer will cut the number down a bit and this could give more youngsters a chance.

 

Kris Boyd celebrates"We will wait and see what happens but I have no doubt that there are players in the Rangers Reserve team that could come to Hamilton and play every week.

 

"I look at things just now and there are young boys at the Accies who have played over 100 games at first-team level and you can see they have benefited from that.

 

"Of course the pressures at Rangers are totally different and that always has to be taken in to account.

 

"The team is expected to play well and win convincingly every week, a draw is seen as a disaster.

 

"At Hamilton it is all about getting results. There was a stage there where the team did not play to their best but kept clean sheets and got points on the board.

 

"Sometimes that is what football is all about.

 

"So it is a different culture but it is something I am really enjoying and I am thankful to the manager Billy Brown for giving me this opportunity."

[Norris Cole 0]

From what I've heard about him, there will be no doubt whatsoever who young Jordan will be cheering on tomorrow

[CammyF 6,781]

I can remember the 3-0 win at Easter Road earlier in the season and young Jordan was warming up in front of the Rangers support and was indulging in a few choruses along with the massed Bears

 

Cammy F

[H1ndy 0]

is he any good this lad?