A LOT has changed since Steven Smith was last a Rangers player, not least within himself.
Smith left Ibrox in 2010 after falling out of favour under Walter Smith but the fresh start he had hoped for failed to materialise. Injuries limited his opportunities at Norwich City, while a loan spell at Aberdeen and subsequent move to Preston North End similarly failed to breathe fresh life into a flagging career.
Instead it took a move to the USA for the defender, in his own words, "to fall in love with football again". Smith played just one season with Portland Timbers but it was enough to reinvigorate him. Now the 27-year-old has returned to Rangers, where it all began more than a decade ago, having signed a two-year deal.
After a season playing against the likes of David Beckham, Robbie Keane and Landon Donovan, the prospect of games against Stranraer, Stenhousemuir, Arbroath et al may have been underwhelming for some, but Smith is just desperate to get back playing. "I loved my time in America," he said. "The league gets a bit of a bad reputation over here but I found it really tough in the first few weeks in terms of the fitness levels and the weather. But I got used to it and really enjoyed it.
"America did work out for me. I went there and had a really good season, played really well and got to play in front of massive crowds and came up against top players. It also helped me fall in love with football again because the atmosphere at games was incredible. It gave me that enjoyment back and I loved going into my work every day.
"The mentality of the people is different. There's a lot of positivity over there, while here it can be a bit negative. I've never seen anyone work so hard. They might not have the best ability but they work as hard as they can and hopefully I learned a little bit from them and they learned a little bit from me."
Smith was hailed as a dashing left-back of some promise when he made the breakthrough as a 17 year-old but injuries and inconsistency have blighted his progress. A decade on he is candid enough to admit that, were it not for Rangers' financial predicament, he may never have got the chance to return.
"I probably thought the door was closed on me every returning to Rangers," he said. "When I left they had a really good squad and they were signing the likes of Nikica Jelavic and players of that calibre. If truth be told, all the things that have happened at the club is probably one of the reasons that I'm back.
"When I left it was probably the right time because I only played 14 or 15 games and I wanted to play regularly. It was going to be difficult to get a regular game with the standard of player they had at that time so when I left it was best for both parties but I'm delighted to be back now.
"If it wasn't for the financial problems they'd be able to spend big like they used to. The free transfers who came in when I was there were the likes of Dado Prso then, if you're talking players of that calibre then it's a different level from myself. But the manager has brought in guys who will run through brick walls for the football club and I'm one of those guys who will give everything I've got every single day."
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