McCrorie: Morton loan has been invaluable

Goalkeeper Robby McCrorie reckons playing regular first-team football in a cut-throat Ladbrokes Championship with Morton this season will prove invaluable as he bids to become Rangers No.1 in future.

The 20-year-old arrived at Cappielow on loan during the January transfer window and went on to kept six clean sheets in 15 starts to help keep the club in the division.

Three of his shutouts came in the final three fixtures, in vital victories away at Falkirk and Dunfermline Athletic as well as on the last day of the regular season against Dundee United.

Those results went a long way towards the Ton safeguarding their Championship status, and shot-stopper McCrorie believes featuring in such a meaningful run-in will have done his development the world of good.

He told www.gmfc.net: “The loan went very well and I enjoyed my time at Morton. My first loan move was to Berwick, and this season the aim was to take a step up to the Championship.

“In terms of the clubs in the league, it’s very competitive. That’s what I needed; I needed games that would be a challenge, and I feel, come the end of the loan, I was comfortable at that level.

“Being at Morton for six months benefitted me a lot, especially being in an environment where we were under pressure for a wee while. It was in our own hands, but we were under pressure to pick up points.

“There are players’ livelihoods at stake. Fortunately we ended up finishing in fifth, but if we had been relegated to League One that could have had a massive affect on everyone.

“I felt that I came through that period and it stands me in good stead for the future. If I want to be a Rangers No.1 in future, I need to be able to handle pressure, so it has been really important for me.”

The Scotland Under-21 cap was pleased to have been able to contribute to the Ton’s cause by keeping a half dozen clean sheets in his time as Cappielow custodian.

He added: “I got put straight into the team in my first game and that went well from my perspective, starting off with a clean sheet and keeping two more in my first three home games.

“In fairness, there were was a wee spell in the middle where we weren’t really getting results, it was a bit up and down, and I felt I could have maybe added a wee bit more.

“But I thought I stood up to the challenge well in the final seven games and felt I put in good performances that I hope helped the team.

“We won the last three games on the bounce and didn’t concede and that was a brilliant feeling, especially the Falkirk game. That match was massive. There was a great atmosphere, a good turnout and real pressure on us.

“But we handled that and I felt like I dealt with what came my way in those games. All in all, I’m really happy with how things went at Morton.

“I’ll be keeping an eye on the club going forward. I was at Berwick and still look out for their results, and I’ll definitely be looking out for Morton now too. There’s good people at the club and I really hope they do well.”

Image: David Bell