LIVINGSTON midfielder Stephen Kelly is planning to put the lessons learned from Steven Davis to good use today when he makes his return to Ibrox.
The Scotland Under-21 cap heads back to Rangers for the first time since leaving during the summer in search of regular first team football.
He is set to go directly up against a man he has the utmost respect for after describing how he would spend hours watching how the 37-year-old conducted himself on and off the park.
Kelly said: “Steven is an incredible professional, he is quite a quiet guy but he leads by example in terms of how he trains, what he eats and how he recovers.
“For younger players he doesn’t have to say too much, you just see how he goes about his daily basis is enough.
“Against Dundee he showed his class and he got a goal, he is a clever player who is technically very good.
“It wasn’t a surprise to me his performance the other night.
“When you look at his age, the season Rangers won the league he was playing two games a week.
“To be playing at that level, at his age, is so impressive and it shows how professional he is.
“Every player wants to have a long career like Davo has. There are certain things you have to do to achieve that and it doesn’t just happen.
“Guys like Steven Davis and Scott Arfield were great to be around.
“They have both had great careers and to train against them every day is how you learn as a player.
“You see what you can do better on and off the park.”
Kelly is trying to treat today’s clash at his old club just like any other game even though Rangers were a huge part of his life growing up.
His parents will miss the clash due to being on holiday but Kelly will still have family support in the away end.
Kelly, who impressed in his first Lions start in last week’s win over St Johnstone, added: “I have to forget my time at Rangers and focus on the game.
“I was there from the age of about six but I am a Livingston player and we want a result.
“It was a big part of my life and my whole career until recently was there.
“My mum and dad are actually on holiday so they are missing it.
“My grandad and my aunt will probably be there but they will be in the Livi end.”
Kelly had made three substitute appearances before playing 89 minutes against Saints and is adamant he can thrive under Livingston manager Davie Martindale.
He added: “The gaffer said to me when I came in not to put pressure on myself and to work my way in.
“It’s a change for me but it has all gone well for me so far and I was delighted to start my first game last week.
“I do put pressure on myself, I always have, but for the gaffer to say I don’t have pressure on me straight away helped me relax.
“In the past the clubs were expecting big things from me as I was on loan from Rangers.
“You are also trying to impress people at your parent club as well as trying to stay in the team.
“There are different challenges when you are on loan but I know where I am going to be for the next few years and that’s great.
“The gaffer is pretty straightforward and he says it like it is after the games.
“It doesn’t matter if it is positive or negative, he says what he thinks and I like that.
“You don’t want managers to beat around the bush, if they are straight, you can’t complain.”
