Rangers were in Scottish League Cup action today, beating East Fife 3-0 away from home to advance into the next round.
Jermain Defoe, Filip Helander and Joe Aribo got the goals for Rangers, but Steven Gerrard also took the chance to unleash Brandon Barker.
The former Preston winger completed a move to Rangers earlier this month, and has been waiting for his debut. Barker was given half an hour against East Fife, kickstarting his Gers career.
Reports earlier this summer suggested that Preston wanted Barker back at Deepdale, despite a hit-and-miss loan spell. The transfer deadline passed without North End making a move for Barker, and his future was settled with a move to Ibrox.
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He had no chance of breaking through at Manchester City, and really needed to settle down. With his former City academy boss Mark Allen in charge at Rangers, a move to Ibrox made perfect sense.
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Hopefully Barker can now fulfil his potential at Rangers, and he has now opened up on his situation with The Herald.
Barker has admitted that going out on loan so many times was difficult for him, claiming he ‘lost his way’ in the process, with Preston seemingly included in that.
Barker failed to really settle at North End, as he was in and out of Alex Neil’s side and struggled with injuries, but he’s now hopeful that his permanent move to Rangers will help him really get going again, given that a full-time move to Deepdale seemingly wasn’t on offer.
“I lost my way a bit going out on loan all the time,” said Barker. “It is not easy to leave your family and to keep going different places. I have been looking for an actual home and now I have that. I’m grateful for that and hopefully Rangers will reap the rewards of that.
“It is hard when you come to the end of the loan and you don’t know what will happen the following season. It can be difficult to stay focused but now I know I’m a Rangers player. And I can say that with a smile on my face,” he added.