MATT POLSTER started January by walking down the aisle in Las Vegas. He ended it striding out of the Ibrox tunnel as he chases the biggest jackpot of his career.
While Steven Gerrard was putting his players through their paces in Dubai, Polster was beginning married life alongside new wife Brittany Held after tying the knot Stateside.
Many would have presumed that Polster would soon be on the lookout for a new home from home but he is settled in Glasgow and content at Rangers. Finally, his patience could pay off.
A substitute appearance against Hearts was rewarded with a start in the win over Ross County on Wednesday night as the right-back deputised for the injured James Tavernier.
It has taken some time for Polster’s Ibrox dreams to be realised. Now he hopes he can be as happy on the park as he is off it as he begins a new chapter in his life, and potentially his career.
“The wedding was unbelievable and the coaching staff gave me a little extra time off, which was really nice,” Polster said after a solid showing against County as Rangers bounced back from their defeat at Tynecastle. “I came back and they put me in the game against Queen of the South for 90 minutes and I did well there.
“The issue was that the wedding was planned a year in advance so I was going to get married on the 4th. With the time change, by the time I would have gone to Dubai it really wouldn’t have made sense. I think the coaching staff knew that and they were generous enough to give me that time off.
“Jordan (Milsom) gave me a massive fitness programme so I did as much as I could but you want to play games to prove yourself. It has all worked out.
“We are thinking about planning [the honeymoon] for the off season. We stayed in Vegas for a couple of days after the wedding and then we went to my wife’s parents house in LA for a couple of days.”
Polster would make just one appearance last term – a late run-out in the 3-1 win over Hearts - for Gerrard’s side after penning a two-and-a-half year deal in January.
His start against the Staggies was his sixth outing this season as his chances have once again been limited, mainly due to the fine form of club captain Tavernier.
He was steady, if unspectacular, at right-back. Given time and the chance, there could be more to come from the former Chicago Fire star.
Polster said: “Coming here, there is more to it and you have to adapt to a different culture, coaching staff, team-mates, style of life.
“I think it took time, especially with Tav in front of me playing well and scoring goals and getting assists. You are not going to change things when you are winning games and that is what we were doing at the beginning of the season so I had to be patient and wait for that opportunity.
“I think as a young boy I wanted to play in the UK, whether that was in Scotland or England. I have always had a dream of playing over here and for it to be at this kind of club makes it all the more special. The support is huge and it is a dream of mine to be successful here.
“I think I can give more and that will come with games. I thought I did well on Wednesday night but I was a little rusty, some of the passes or crosses I made weren’t as perfect as I would have liked.
“I was being as positive as I could on the pitch and with a run of games I think I can prove to people I can play at this level.”
The continued absence of Tavernier as he recovers from appendix surgery should give Polster an opportunity to build on a solid outing against County.
Gerrard confirmed last week that the 26-year-old will remain at Ibrox for the second half of the campaign. An early exit was never on the mind of manager or player.
Polster said: “I have been working really hard in training and had to be resilient because it has been tough to find minutes. To be on the pitch and play in front of those fans was special.
“People keep telling me that you just never know in football and anything can change. For me, I have just been working hard in training, trying to put my head down and wait for a chance.
“That chance came against Hearts and I thought I did really well in that game. The staff gave me a chance again and I thought I did well.
“With each chance, I want to progress. That was my first 90 minutes in the SPFL so I want to build on that and start to get a rhythm.
“It has been tough because I haven’t started many games to get that rhythm so I am looking forward to the next game and if I get picked again I will try and do the same thing or do better.
“For me, I never wanted to leave the club and my goal was always to stay here and make it work here and be as successful as I could. I was never looking to leave.”
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