On a weekend in which Nedim Bajrami posed more questions than answers, former Rangers youngster Alex Lowry kicked off his Wycombe Wanderers career in fine style.
If this is a sign of things to come – Alex Lowry ‘excellent’ on his first 64 minutes as a Wycombe Wanderers player during the FA Cup fourth-round clash with Preston North End from the division above – this could be an addition which breathes fresh life into The Chairboys’ promotion campaign.
Wycombe have fallen four points adrift of a Birmingham City outfit with two games in hand at the top of the third-tier table in England. Even more damagingly, they lost their talismanic head coach Matt Bloomfield to Luton Town.
Could one-time Rangers starlet Lowry re-ignite the fuse? Too early to say, really.
But as Nedim Bajrami turned in a ‘really poor’ display for Rangers during their Scottish Cup exit at the hands of Queen’s Park, a man pushed down the Ibrox pecking order by the underperforming Albanian was almost the catalyst another ‘cupset’ on his maiden appearance south of the border.
Rangers graduate Alex Lowry shines on Wycombe Wanderers bow
After appearing on the bench during Wycombe’s 1-1 draw at Cambridge United earlier in February, a trip to Deepdale marked Lowry’s Wanderers debut.
The Scotland Under-21 international has always been a classy operator.
Former Rangers youth coach Graeme Murty highlighted Lowry’s ‘range of passing’, ‘remarkable self-confidence’ and his ‘technical ability’ during the youngster’s initial breakthrough into the first-team picture at Ibrox a few years ago.
If ex-Gers midfielder Andy Halliday cannot understand why Rangers signed Sam Lammers when they had a perfectly good number ten in the shape of Ianis Hagi back in 2023, you can also make a case that Lowry was another player hard done by some rather questionable recruitment.
Of course, Rangers will point to Lowry’s goalless 12-game loan spell at Hearts as proof that this was a footballer not quite at the level required. He arrives at Wycombe, then, with something of a point to prove as well as a career to kick-start.
But an eye-catching first hour in Wycombe colours – Mike Dodds’ team took Championship Preston to penalties before suffering spot-kick heartbreak – is certainly a positive step towards achieving both of those ambitions.
Lowry earns Luka Modric and Juan Roman Riquelme comparisons
“Lowry looks a serious player,” one impressed observer writes on X
“Good effort from the whole team. Still some work to do, and we miss [star striker Richard] Kone, but there’re good signs. Positive debut from Lowry and [Will] Norris,” adds another.
‘A very good debut’, ‘class player’, ‘the Masonic Modric’ and the ‘Renfrew Riquelme’; The compliments just kept on rolling.
“As debuts go Alex, yours was mighty impressive,” one fan writes. “Always looking for the defence splitting pass and full of creativity. Think the Wycombe fans are gonna like you
“You played amazing Alex,” another agrees. “On to promotion!”
Dan Rice, Wycombe’s Chief Football Officer, highlighted Lowry’s ‘energy and creativity’ when snapping up the youngster on a permanent deal last month. The Rangers academy graduate, Rice added, was ‘someone we have identified as a really talented prospect’.
It appears that, after only an hour on the pitch, the Wycombe supporters are ready to buy into that hype and invest in Alex Lowry stocks.
