Tom Walsh: This year is make or break for me at Rangers

The winger burst onto the scene as Rangers saw their Championship promotion dreams dashed under the guidance of Stuart McCall and then had to watch on from afar as Mark Warburton’s side finally got the job done last term.

While the Gers were entertaining on their way to the second tier title, Walsh was impressing on loan at Dumbarton as he looked to get vital game time under his belt.

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He will spend the coming days with Warburton’s squad in Charleston as he looks to catch the eye and prove he can play his part in the Light Blues forward line in the top flight.

Walsh has seen life on the other side of the Auchenhowie gates and now he is determined to prove his worth at Ibrox.

He said: “It’s an eye opener. We take Murray Park for granted as we’re in here every day so when you go to part-time clubs, who train at nights, it’s a real eye opener but you have to deal with it and make the best of it.

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“It’s a huge difference, absolutely. It’s more competitive. I have been playing Under-20s or Reserves since I was 16 and I’m 20 in July so I need to be in a first team now whether it’s here or somewhere else.

“I’m actually too old for the 20s anyway but I feel I’m well past that and I need to be playing first team games.

“This is a make or break year for me. I have one year left on my contract. I would love to earn another one and hopefully it’s here.

“I know it’s going to be tough with a lot of big names and good players coming in. I’ve just got to do my best and hopefully it’s good enough to catch the manager’s eye.

“When he told me I was going out on loan to Dumbarton he told me to stay fit and come back to pre-season and then it would be a level playing field.

“You’ve got to take that on-board and go and show you should be involved.”

Walsh may have been playing in the same league as his Gers team-mates last term but his experience in the Championship was far different to Warburton’s squad.

It may not have ended with a title party and champagne, but it was a successful one nonetheless as Stevie Aitken’s side retained their second tier status once again.

And the 19-year-old was pleased to handle the expectation that was on him as he now looks to thrive under a greater pressure next term.

Walsh said: “I thoroughly enjoyed it. No disrespect to Dumbarton, but at first it takes a little getting used to, going from a club as big as Rangers.

“They were a great bunch of boys and it was brilliant to get first team games. I managed to stay fit and prove my fitness so it was great for me.

“It’s a tough league, the Championship, but a good learning curve. It was terrific for the team to stay up as we’re part-time and we also managed to secure a few great results, including a victory over Hibs and a draw at home to Falkirk. Staying up was a massive bonus.

“There was a bit of pressure on me going there from Rangers but you must thrive on it.

“Every day in training there’s pressure but you must enjoy it and rise to it. If you want to play in front of 50,000 you’ve got to enjoy the pressure. It’s a good pressure, you could say.”

Walsh was out of sight but not out of mind last term. After doing his time away from Ibrox, he must now make an impression on Warburton in the coming weeks and months.

The wide berth that was occupied by Barrie McKay last season is one of the spots that the winger will set his sights on when Rangers bid for Premiership glory.

McKay will provide the competition, but also the incentive and motivation after returning from Raith Rovers and becoming a key part of the Warburton blueprint.

Walsh said: “Absolutely, he’s an inspiration. The gaffer said that to me; everyone has to look at Barrie - not just at Rangers, but throughout Scottish football.

“Credit to Barrie because he came back to Rangers and stepped up another level and got himself a Scotland call up.

“It was a great season for him, fair play to him for that. Everyone must look to that and think being on loan is not the end of the world and you’ve got to make the most of it because when you come back you’ve got to be ready to push on the way Barrie did. You’ve got to look up to him for that.

“I spoke to him in general about his time at Raith Rovers when I wasn’t sure which team I was going to on loan, but nothing too in-depth.

“I think at the time he was disappointed to be going out on loan. It was a different situation with a different manager and he probably felt he should have been involved at that time.

“I knew I had to go out on loan because I had just come back from injury and I needed a run of games to improve my fitness. So it was a different situation.”