‘Run through brick walls’ - Luke McCormick makes Bristol Rovers promise to Joey Barton

Luke McCormick says he is prepared to ‘run through brick walls’ to repay the faith Bristol Rovers and Joey Barton showed in him to bring him back this summer.

The midfielder is well into his second stint at Bristol Rovers, and scored his first goal back in blue and white quarters in Tuesday’s victory over Swindon Town in the Papa Johns Trophy.

Albeit against nine-men, McCormick put in an assured display against the League Two outfit. He involved his teammates in attacks and almost got them on the scoresheet, as well as his well-taken goal, provided by Trevor Clarke.

After much speculation over the summer over a possible return. McCormick was finally announced as a Rovers player in August, for an undisclosed fee

“This was the one place I wanted to come to,” he said. “I think that was probably well known and from the clubs’ side they’ve moved heaven and earth to get me here

“It wasn’t a straightforward one from both parties but I’m here now and I would just really like to get back to what I know I can do.”

McCormick’s start to life at Rovers has proven difficult given how his pre-season was disrupted. A move back to the West Country didn’t take place until the latter stages of the summer transfer window.

He didn’t play a competitive game for Wimbledon under new manager Johnny Jackson and was banished from first-team training. The 23-year-old had to commit to his own training regime which is difficult when training alone.

A move to Joey Barton’s Rovers comes with a demand on being in the best condition a player can be to commit to their attacking and aggressive style of play with an emphasis on pressing the opponent.

The ex-Chelsea midfielder has been in and out of the squad recently and has had to compete with fellow talisman Antony Evans for his preferred attacking midfield position. His performance will have gone a long way to stake his claim for a starting place with the visit of league leaders Plymouth Argyle on Saturday.

He said: “I’m just trying to get back to my best. “I can sit here and make excuses about my lack of pre-season and this and that, but it’s a load of rubbish, I just want to get back to my best and show the Gas what I can really do.

“It’s been frustrating, but tonight to get 90 minutes under my belt and goal, no matter the competition, for me that’ll do me a big favour. “Even tonight, that’s nowhere near my level so I know I’ve got a lot more to give and if anyone’s going to get it out of me, it’s the gaffer and the staff.

“Tonight won’t do me any harm, the main thing is we’ve kept the momentum as a team and kept that winning run going. Whoever was picked tonight and whoever is picked to wear the quarters on Saturday, it’s their job to go and keep that run going.”

Appearances have been sporadic for McCormick with no consistent run of starts and at times, he has had to fill in unfamiliar roles. Rovers’ run of form has coincided with influential players returning back from injury.

Joey Barton had trialled various systems and formations, trying players in different roles to try and get a fine tune out of the side. McCormick, who has been keen to play and get a run of games, has even been deployed as wing-back.

“I think it is well-known that I would run through a brick wall for the gaffer,” McCormick stated. “If he asks me to play wing-back I’m going to play wing-back.

“For me, I can’t think of a manager who’s brought that form out of me, and then seen that there’s more in me, but I know there is as well. He’s one to look up to of course but for me I’m trying to get back to my best, trying to score goals and set goals up and it’s about the team.”

McCormick’s first spell at the club came on a season-long loan move from Premier League outfit Chelsea. The pandemic meant that supporters weren’t permitted to attend matches and so fans had to watch from live streams.

Despite the season ending with a relegation, he was a firm fan favourite, earning admiration from fans watching from their television and computer screens. McCormick would receive high praise from supporters.

A few displays at a sold-out Memorial Stadium and now a first goal in his second coming at Rovers has meant a rekindling of the relationship between player and supporters.

He said: “It’s well known how much I appreciate the Gasheads, and especially the away following I wouldn’t have even experienced that

“Cheltenham for example, bloody hell they were louder than the Cheltenham fans, for me to experience that it’s a great experience and long may it continue.”