Doctor issues return verdict on Rangers midfielder

We are pleased to have Dr.
, an injury specialist.
We welcome Rajpal Brar as our exclusive columnist.
Each week he will give his thoughts on Rangers’ injury situation.
Rangers midfielder Stephen Davies has taken a big hit, says Dr.
Rajpal Brar is undergoing a very complicated injury rehabilitation process.
Injury experts believe age is also a growing problem for the 38-year-old as he aims to return to the first team.

He underwent surgery on his ACL in December 2022 and has not featured for the first team since then.

Physiotherapist and sports scientist Mr Buller spoke exclusively to Ibrox News about his situation, saying: “Davies has suffered an anterior cruciate ligament injury and is expected to return to action in December 2022.
I needed surgery this month.

He has suffered multiple setbacks during recovery which pushed his timeline to where it is now nearly a year.

“His age and overall wear don’t help because it can make the rehab more complicated but he’ll not be back for weeks and maybe months.”

Davis may not have featured for the first team but he was in charge of the senior side after Michael Beale was sacked.

Even when fit, the midfielder barely featured for the first team – making just three league starts in the 2022/23 league campaign.

It remains to be seen if the Northern Irishman stays put at Ibrox post the end of the season given the injury woes.

He has been honoured by Queen’s University in Belfast for his services to sport in his homeland.

The veteran midfielder is the intelligent passer in the Ibrox midfield, now he has the letters after his name to go with it after being awarded an honorary degree.

 

Davis, who has also held an MBE for services to football since 2017, will now join another illustrious list – as a Doctor of the University.

Fellow Northern Irish football stalwart Julie Nelson was also awarded the same accolade at the special winter graduation ceremony.

Between them the pair have more than 270 international appearances.

Davis also took up a coaching development role when he signed his one-year extension at Ibrox last summer, but he went from tactics board to mortar board in his homeland.

He said afterwards: “I am honoured to receive this honorary degree. I’m in esteemed company and it’s great to see football being recognised in such quarters as The Queen’s University of Belfast.”

Leaders in the fields of medicine, sport, business and public service were among those to receive honorary doctorates from the Belfast university for their significant contribution to society in Northern Ireland and further afield.

Nelson added: “I am incredibly honoured to receive an honorary doctorate from Queen’s University. Representing Northern Ireland means the world to me and it is touching to be recognised for my contributions.

“This honour shows the continued high regard for women’s football in Northern Ireland and it was special to receive this award alongside our international men’s captain Steven Davis.”

Meanwhile Davis’ old Rangers midfield mate Barry Ferguson has spoken out over a possible Ibrox return for Billy Gilmour and Nathan Patterson.

Ferguson believes a move for the Brighton midfielder could be successful on loan – but Patterson’s progress at Everton prices him out of a deal.

The former Ibrox captain said: “He (Gilmour) needs to go and play football. He’s had a tough year, but he’s still a great football player and I’m sure if he’s not going to get game time at Brighton then he needs to play games of football.

“He’s too good to be sitting on the bench.”