Not starting after blocked fuel filter

Folks, my freelander 1.8 came to a juddery stop and I found the fuel filter to be pretty blocked. It's changed out and mounted back in the tank. I turned on the car and got fuel through, I hooked up the fuel line and got fuel through the line. I hooked up the line to the fuel rail and tried to start. It turned over and sounds like it wants to start but just wouldn't go. I tried this a few times but it's not going.

Any ideas as I was hoping it was fixed!

I could put it in the garage but thats cheating.

Nobody have any ideas what to try next?

idea - your fuel rail / injectors may be full of air. if the engine died when the filter as blocked it will have used all the fuel up in the line you have not removed.

you could (?) try removing the fuel bleed by line and cranking over / switching on ignition as this will force fuel through - or at least it does on a TD4 and my astra van!