Silverware and salvation are the twin targets for Michael Chopra as he seeks to revive his career at Petrofac Cup finalists and Championship strugglers Alloa.

Even in a career that has taken him to some strange places both on and off the field relocating to what is now officially dubbed Indodrill Stadium represents an unlikely detour for a player who started out at Newcastle United and was once transferred to their North East rivals Sunderland for £5 million, as Paddy Connolly acknowledged with a smile and a shake of the head.

"He's a Premiership player... I know it sounds ridiculous, but he's still a reasonable age at 31 and hopefully he can add something to the team that will maybe give us those extra points we need to stay in the division," mused Alloa Athletic's caretaker manager.

Chopra could hardly claim to have made a telling difference on Tuesday's debut, coming off the Ibrox bench deep in injury time while his team-mates were hanging onto a bravely earned point.

If the first player of Indian parentage to score in the English Premiership is half the player he once was, however, he surely will in what remains of the season since, while he has hardly been prolific of late, failing to score either for David James' Kerala Blasters in nine outings in this season's Indian Super League or for Blackpool in 20 English Championship appearances in 2013/14, he has operated at much higher class than all those he will face in Scotland.

His top flight career having been at least partially derailed by a gambling problem he claims to be aiming to return to the highest possible level and his preparedness to pitch up at Alloa goes some way towards backing up his words.

"Once I finished in India my main objective was to get back and I've been looking around what leagues I could play in," Chopra explained.

"The last week I've been training at Port Vale but I got a phone call on Monday asking if I would like to come to Alloa and I jumped at the chance."

That the first assignment after that offer was made was a trip to one of the world's most famous football clubs doubtless helped in that context, as did the prospect of winning a medal when Alloa contest the Petrofac Cup final with Livingston next month.

"Obviously, it's a new challenge for me," said Chopra.

"I've not played in Scotland before and trying to keep Alloa in the Championship is a challenge I'll grasp with both hands. I'll do my best to maintain their status and also help them win a trophy.

"You look at the fixtures and the results Alloa have had against the big teams. They've beaten Rangers and been unlucky recently against Hibs and Hearts, while in recent weeks they have only been losing by one goal and been unlucky, so they obviously have a good team spirit and people who want to work hard.

"It's now down to myself to try and help the other players out and try and score a goal or two, just to take the pressure off them."

For all that they would not necessarily want to follow his example in many ways, Chopra hopes, too, that his experience may allow him to help some of the club's up and coming players.

"I remember when I was at Newcastle and I was a young boy playing with Alan Shearer and Michael Owen, Patrick Kluivert and they gave me the best experience possible and made me the player I am today," he said

"I'll be looking to try and help all the young boys at the club and passing my experience on because coming onto the end of the season when you do need points and it's not all about performances, that's when you need to roll your sleeves up and dig in.

"There's no doubt about it I think they've done that, but they might need that extra bit of experience and hopefully, that's where I come in."

In terms of what is required the first impression he has given his new team-mates is very much the right one, apparently taking the stick that greeted him in the dressing room in good style before then making the most of the 90 seconds he was given to put himself about on the pitch according to Ben Gordon.

"Like anyone else he came in and got grief off everyone," laughed the central defender who scored the game's opening goal.

"He came on, won a header and fore-armed someone in the face so he looks like he's willing to put the graft in. He's obviously a top player."

The tone was congratulatory rather than accusatory as might be expected. The Scottish Championship relegation zone is no place for niceties, but Chopra has clearly struck the right note with new colleagues who know that if his attitude is right in the more prosaic surroundings in which he will be plying his trade for most of the rest of the season, they can anticipate a significant injection of quality at the business end of the pitch.

"He's scored a lot of goals in his career and played at the highest level so you have to respect that," said Gordon.

"He knows it's not going to be like this every week, playing at Ibrox. I imagine he's a professional guy who knows what he'll have to do."