Tyler Blackwood made his QPR debut in 3-0 win against Yeovil Town

Striker came off the bench 20 minutes from time

24-year-old was making his professional football debut

TYLER Blackwood is refusing to waste his second chance after making his QPR debut at Yeovil Town on Tuesday night.





Blackwood, 24, came off the bench for the final 20 minutes of the R’s 3-0 Capital One Cup win at Huish Park.





The former University of South Florida striker is a late entry into professional football after signing his first 12-month contract at Loftus Road this summer.





But having been given the chance at QPR under boss Chris Ramsey he’s determined to make the most of it.





“When I signed Chris said I am a late developer,” Tyler told www.qpr.co.uk after Rangers progressed to round two.





“A lot of managers in England wouldn’t give someone like me a chance but I guess Chris saw something in me.





“I’ve been through the rejection and I know what it is like and what it takes and I think that helps me as I know exactly what I have to do. I refuse to waste my second chance.





“I was out of it at one point, I wasn’t even playing football. That makes me so much hungrier.





“Some of my friends around me have been playing in the Premier League and for me to be sitting there watching hurt me. Now I have a chance there’s no way I am going to waste it.”









BENCH: Tyler on the subs bench with teammate Tjaronn Chery at Yeovil Town





The London born forward replaced Matt Phillips midway through the second half in the west country to make not only his Hoops debut but also his professional football debut.





It was another big learning curve for the youngster after impressing last season on trial when he scored six goals for the R’s Elite Development Squad.





“It is every boys dream,” he added. “It has been a dream of mine for a very long time and there was a time it looked like it wasn’t going to happen for me but I’ve managed to turn things around.





“I am very grateful to Les (Ferdinand) and Chris (Ramsey) – also Steve Gallen who helped me when I first came to the club.





He continued: “Chris told me to be positive when I came one. He said ‘you are in the team for a reason, you score goals’.





“I like to make things happen, I made a mistake at the end as I was dropping back and instead of clearing it I tried to bring it down and make something happen.





“This is the perfect time to learn as I have people like Rob Green who shouts his head off but I have learnt something new. From now on that is never going to happen again as Greeny has scared me.”





Blackwood discovered he was in Chris Ramsey’s travelling squad 24 hours ahead of Tuesday’s 3-0 win.





That allowed some of his family to make the trip to Huish Park to see his debut and he now hopes they will get further opportunities to see him in QPR blue and white in the future.





“My dad couldn’t make it last minute but my sister travelled up from London on the train and she’s really proud,” said Blackwood who scored seven goals for the Under-21s in pre-season.





“I have a very supportive family who have been there with me the whole way through all the ups and downs. My dad always told me at my lowest that I could make it.





“When you get a taste you want to eat it all. I just want to get as much experience as I can get now.





“If Chris doesn’t think I am ready, then I will trust his judgement but ideally I want to be in the squad every weekend and in the back of Chris’ mind if not on the pitch itself.”





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