Glasgow Rangers missed the chance to return to the top of the Premiership table on Sunday as their clash against Dundee was postponed due to a heavily waterlogged pitch.
This means that the Ibrox side trail Celtic by one point heading into the international break, although they do have a game in hand.
Perhaps the postponement was a blessing in disguise for Philippe Clement and his men, as the hectic schedule has clearly taken its toll on the players recently, with several looking leggy during the previous two matches.
The Belgian manager has had to utilise the full depth of his playing squad in recent weeks and this has seen some exciting opportunities go to youngsters who are looking to take the next step.
Cole McKinnon is a fine example. The midfielder made his European debut for the Gers against Benfica in the first leg of their Europa League last 16 clash, before gaining more senior minutes against Hibs in the Scottish Cup just a few days later.
Combine this with Ross McCausland making his mark in the team, and it feels like Clement is focusing big on unearthing youngsters who can make an impact.
One player who has yet to have a chance under the 49-year-old is Alex Lowry, as the Scot is one of the most talented academy players at Ibrox.
Alex Lowry could be Rangers’ next Barry Ferguson
Every young midfielder who begins to show promise in the academy is touted as the ‘next Barry Ferguson’ when, in reality, he was a once-in-a-generation type of talent.
Lowry is special, however, and if he can get over his injury issues that have hampered his growth over the previous 12 months, he could certainly force his way back into the senior side.
Ferguson made his debut for the Light Blues on the final day of the 1996/97 campaign under the late great Walter Smith, before becoming an established member of the squad following the appointment of Dick Advocaat in 1998.
2008/09
27
2
2007/08
62
9
2006/07
41
7
2005/06
46
5
2004/05
15
2
2003/04
5
0
2002/03
48
18
2001/02
39
7
2000/01
47
4
1999/00
49
5
1998/99
41
2
1997/98
7
0
1996/97
1
0
Under the Dutchman, Ferguson would become the youngest ever player to captain the club aged just 22 and helped the Gers retain their position as top dogs in Scotland.
Due to financial issues, the Scot was sold to Blackburn Rovers in the summer of 2003 for a fee of £7.5m, yet he didn’t last long in England, returning to his beloved Rangers in January 2005.
The former Scotland international stayed until 2009 before leaving the Gers for the last time. Overall, he made 428 appearances for the club, scoring 61 goals and winning 15 major honours.
Ferguson typically operated in the centre of the midfield but was known for his bursts forward into the opposition box and his ability to dictate the play with a sublime passing range.
Lowry is a more attacking-minded midfielder but has shown similar skills to that of Ferguson during his appearances for the Light Blues, and he was sent out on loan to Hearts at the start of the season to gain some much-needed senior game time
Alex Lowry’s statistics at Hearts
At the Gorgie outfit, Lowry made a total of 17 appearances in all competitions, scoring once and registering four assists as he looked to prove to his parent club that he could cut it in the Premiership on a regular basis.
The 20-year-old showed plenty of promise during his loan spell in Edinburgh, especially in the top flight. Not only did he make 12 appearances in the competition, but the midfielder created one big chance, averaged 1.8 key passes per game, succeeded with 1.4 dribbles along with taking 1.6 shots per match as he provided an extra attacking outlet for the club.
He was expected to remain at Hearts until the end of the campaign, but was recalled by Clement in January with ambitions of finding him another temporary move.
It soon transpired that Lowry was injured upon his return, however, ruling him out for six to eight weeks.
Since returning to Glasgow, he has yet to feature as the injury looks set to keep him out for a while longer.
Alex Lowry’s Rangers statistics
After impressing in the academy, Lowry was named on the bench for the Scottish Cup clash against Stirling Albion in January 2022 as Giovanni van Bronckhorst sought to give opportunities to a few players.
When Ianis Hagi suffered a season-ending injury after just 15 minutes, it was Lowry’s chance to shine, and he emerged from the bench to make his debut.
It didn’t take him long to announce himself to the Ibrox faithful, scoring the opening goal of the game shortly after coming on with a cool finish, and it looked as though the Gers had a teen sensation ready to burst through.
He made another six appearances for the first team during the remainder of that season, scoring another goal and registering an assist, but that’s as good as it has gotten for him at Rangers.
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Hailed as “gallus” by Scottish coach Andy Goldie, Lowry started just one game for the Light Blues during the 2022/23 campaign as injury issues derailed what should have been a breakthrough season.
The loan spell at Hearts was meant to give him a new-found lease of life, but returning with an injury proves that he may need to wait a while longer before he can impress Clement.
There is no doubting his talent, and Ferguson also took a while to make it from wonderful teenager to established regular, but next season feels like it could be a last chance saloon for the Scot.
McCausland and McKinnon have proven this term that the Belgian manager will give chances to youngsters who are good enough, and there is a case to say that Lowry is more talented than both of them.
If he can recover between now and May while embarking on a productive pre-season, Lowry may force his way into the first-team squad next season.