After months on the sidelines looking on as his team-mates impress in the SPL, Saints midfield star Kevin Moon is hoping he’s just weeks from ending his injury hell.
The 23-year-old has been missing from the first team ever since he suffered cruciate ligament damage following an innocuous challenge with Aberdeen’s Mark Kerr last season.
He is set to take part in a closed doors bounce game as his recovery continues, and he admits being returned to a match setting has been a long time coming.
Initially it was hoped he’d suffered nothing more than a medial strain and a diagnosis of four to six weeks out was given. Things turned sour for Moon, however, as the full extent of the damage became known.
For an example of how the injury could be recovered from he needed to look no further than his boss Derek McInnes and midfield colleague Jody Morris, who both battled back from cruciate problems.
Nonetheless, it’s been hard at times for the player, who has seen a predicted September return come and go with no end in sight.
He’s now hoping there is much better luck ahead and is looking forward to playing a role in the Saints for the first time during what remains of the season.
“After the initial pain following the game against Aberdeen it settled down and we thought I’d be able to get away with it,” he said. “Having been told that I’d be out for just four to six weeks it probably made it even worse when I got the news that I’d be out for a lot longer.
“Even after that my comeback has taken longer than we thought, and again it’s difficult when you get a date into your head.
“Nick (former Saints physio Nick Sumersgill) put in a lot of hours to help get me back fit many of them in his own time too and I can’t thank him enough.Repetitive”It’s very repetitive, doing the little exercises needed to build strength and flexibility and sometimes it’s hard mentally to keep yourself going.
WYou do have bad days when you’re out injured. You start to feel really isolated when you see the guys going out to train and you’re working on your own day after day. You just don’t feel involved and it’s just as bad on a Saturday.
“Fortunately I’ve had good people around me to help me through this.”
With a few weeks of full training behind him, today’s bounce game will be Moon’s first chance to see where he is in his rehabilitation.
He admits he can’t wait to be involved again.
“When you’re out for so long it’s just great to get back around your team-mates again,” he said. “I know I need to be patient, but I’m hopeful I can still play a part in the team this season.
“I’ve not missed a game while I’ve been out as you always want to watch and learn, whether from your team-mates or the opposition. I’m confident I’ll come through this better for the experience.”
Also back with the first team squad is defender Graham Gartland, whose loan spell with Ross County has come to an end.
The Republic of Ireland player couldn’t help the Dingwall side register a win during a four-game spell in the Highlands. Nonetheless, he was stunned to hear his boss throughout that period, Willie McStay, had been let go by the club after just nine games in charge.
“I got a message after the game on Saturday night to say that the he’d left and it came as quite a shock,” Graham said. “I found him really good to work with, very knowledgeable, and I thought he was an excellent coach.
“I though he was starting to turn things around and I don’t think he deserved what happened to him.”