St Johnstone central defender Stuart McCaffrey may be winning his fitness battle, but he admits he is facing a real fight to get back into the reckoning at McDiarmid Park.
Indeed, he conceded that had he not added an extra year to his contract to take him into the summer of 2011 then he would be concerned about manager Derek McInnes keeping him on.
McCaffrey has not featured for the Perth men since the defeat to Kilmarnock on December 5, undergoing two operations on his groin in the intervening period.
He is poised to return to full training next week, but he conceded his absence from the side may prove costly as Saints have cemented themselves into the SPL.
“I am quite hopeful that I will be back training next Monday as the problem has been fixed now,” he said.
“I haven’t played since the Kilmarnock game here on December 5 at the time I wasn’t anticipating being out for long at all.
“I have had two operations. I had keyhole surgery initially, but there was then a difficulty at the front of the groin where a piece of mesh had slipped across and was pressing on a nerve.
“I think that was what had been causing the main problem. The mesh was put in during another op 10 years ago and I also had a bit of scar tissue which the surgeon cut away during the second op. I am now feeling a lot better about it.”
McCaffrey revealed that although he should make it back to the training pitch next week, he is not banking on getting match action any time soon.
“It would be lovely to think I could play in the first team before the end of the season but I’m realistic,” he said.
“When you are out of the picture for any length of time it is difficult to get back in.Pecking order”We have Kevin Rutkiewicz on the way back and looking for a game, too, while Graham Gartland has been out through illness.
“I would say both are well ahead of me in the pecking order.”
It will be a packed summer programme for McCaffrey, who as well as getting ready for the new season will marry his fiancee Rachel and aim to enhance his coaching credentials.
“It will be a busy time for me because I am getting married at the end of June,” he added.
“My wife-to-be is a school teacher, so our holidays don’t tie in well so I will be doing a lot of running on the beach because it will be so near to pre-season.
“It will be a working holiday and I certainly won’t be going all inclusive, eating too much or drinking.
“I am also doing my A licence before the wedding so I will get plenty of running and training there and that will keep me going.
“It is all about getting back ready to face the training.”
Saints have cut prices for Saturday’s home match against Aberdeen, which has a noon kick-off.
Following on from their ‘bring a friend for free’ initiative at the St Mirren game, the club have reduced admission costs to £10 for adults and £5 for concessions.