Partick Thistle manager Ian McCall has explained why exciting Rangers loanee Adam Devine had his Firhill loan deal terminated just over two weeks after his arrival.
17-year-old right-back, Devine, joined the Jags on 6th March on a deal that was due to last until the end of the season.
He made the matchday squad for a League One clash against Cove Rangers at the weekend, but on Tuesday afternoon, Thistle confirmed that he had ‘returned to Rangers with immediate effect.’
There was initially an element of mystery about the transfer call, but it was soon cleared up by McCall.
“Adam was signed to compete for the right-back slot with Ryan Williamson injured,” he explained [Partick Thistle FC Twitter].
“Ryan has now returned to training three to four weeks earlier than anticipated and it would have been unfair to keep Adam at Firhill when opportunities would be limited for him.”
The termination of the deal then allowed the Maryhill club to bring in winger Scott Tiffoney on loan from Livingston.
It didn’t take Devine long to find a new challenge, though, with the Rangers Youth Academy Twitter account soon confirming that he had dropped down a league to join fourth-tier Brechin City until the end of the season.
Brechin manager Michael Paton was delighted with the signing, asserting that the Gers believe Devine to be “on the same path as Nathan Patterson.”
However, the Scotland youth international wasn’t able to spark an upturn in fortunes on debut for his new side.
He played 82 minutes of a 2-0 defeat at Stranraer on Tuesday night and The City remain rooted to the bottom of League Two with just four points from eleven matches.
Meanwhile, an in-demand Rangers star has confirmed that he has had talks with the club regarding a possible contract extension.
