Tony Mowbray liked what he saw from Paul McGowan in yesterdays 3-0 win over St Johnstone so much so that he will now be considered as a permanent member of the first-team squad. McGowan has been working hard to improve his all round performance during loan spells at Hamilton and Morton and made his first SPL start in his fourth appearance this season and was voted sponsor's man-of-the-match. McGowan caught the eye, playing behind Robbie Keane, of more than the sponsors and Mowbray said: "In my mind he has cemented his place in the first-team squad so let's hope he can push on. His overall performance pleased me. He is a young guy who deserves an opportunity. Every day in training, you see he has a great enthusiasm for the game and he is good off both feet so I'm delighted for him."
McGowan's current contract ends in the summer so has picked the perfect time and way to remind everybody that he is worth a new deal. He said: "That's a big boost to hear what the manager said. I only found out on Friday that I was starting. I was obviously a bit nervous but I have been playing well with the reserves and training a lot with the first team. I've waited a long time for it. I was starting to become disillusioned. In the last month or two I have been there or thereabouts. But last week the manager told me that I would be training with the first team all the time. My contract is up at the end of the season so hopefully things can turn for the better. There was some talk a couple of weeks ago (about a new contract) but nothing yet. I will have to keep going. You can't ask for any more than learning from players like Robbie Keane. I like to play just behind the main striker but I'm happy to play anywhere. I would like to have capped it off with a goal but I'm just happy that the team won. The result matters more."
Yesterday's result clipped the gap to Rangers down to ten points and that could be further reduced if the midweek game against St Mirren gos the right way. However, but Mowbray refused to get ahead of himself. He said: "We just have to win the next game. I don't think we are chipping away at anything. Rangers have shown fantastic consistency this season, they have only lost one game I think. From our perspective we just have to win football matches and try to win at St Mirren in midweek."
Tony Mowbray liked what he saw from