KIERAN TIERNEY played his first full match this season in the 4-0 Premier Sports League Cup quarter-final win over Partick Thistle at Firhill yesterday.
And the comeback Bhoy admitted after wards that he felt great – but stressed there was still some way to go.
Tierney, who returned to the club in the summer after a six-year absence at Arsenal, has been carefully nurtured back to full match fitness by Brendan Rodgers after the Scotland international defender had become a bit-part player at the London club.
Liam Scales, Hayato Inamura and loan signing Marcelo Saracchi have filled in at left-back on occasion while Tierney has tried to work his way back to top strength.
GETTING THERE…Kieran Tierney was delighted to play the full game at Firhill.
The fans’ favourite came through the tie in Maryhill and said: “I’m getting there.
“There’s definitely still a little bit to go, but if you look back the last couple of seasons it’s been stop-start for me.
“So, it’s not going to be as simple as just to come in and be 100 per cent straight away.
“That’s why I’ve been so lucky with the gaffer and the team that they’ve given me time.”
Tierney, speaking to Premier Sports, added: “Bit by bit, I’ll build it up, but it was a good 90 minutes to get under my belt as well and I feel great.
“It was a good performance, coming here was going to be tricky, but we’ve done everything you can ask for and a good result.”
Now the focus for Tierney and his team-mates switches to the Europa League and the opening encounter against Red Star Belgrade in the Serbian capital on Wednesday night.
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