“My missus used to joke that she’d be pushing me about in a wheelchair.”
Finally fit and pain free, Peter Pawlett can afford to reflect on the gallows humour with a smile.
However, for the longest time, his plight was no laughing matter.
Battling a persistent achilles issue, the Dundee United forward endured “agony” on a daily basis. It became normalised. An affliction he was resigned to living with.
Waking up in the morning; walking about the house; playing with his kids — a constant pain enveloped it all. That’s before one even considers the exertions of professional football on a weekly basis.
“It was agony, even just moving about the house,” said Pawlett. “That was the norm for me.
“Our trampoline is away now but I’ve used that as an example of the little things affected, especially after a game. The kids would be off school on a Sunday and you are bouncing on one leg!
“When you’re on holiday and kick a ball about on the beach with the kids, but you’re in agony, you do think, “is this what it’s going to be like for the rest of my life?”
“You wonder, “what am I going to be like when I’m 42, never mind 32?”
“These are the things you have to consider because you have a long time left.”
Pressured to play
Following years of consultations and mitigations — long preceding his time at United — it became apparent at the tail-end of last year that there was an operation available that would cure the problem once and for all.
Pawlett bit the bullet in March, finally going under the knife.
“When I first did it (suffered the injury), I should have dealt with it there and then,” Pawlett continued. “But you get pressured — managers want you to play — and you get on with it.
“It got to the point where I had enough. I needed to get something done.”
The procedure was a success and, while there will be aches and niggles on the pitch as Pawlett’s body adapts and strengthens, the alteration to his personal life is already apparent and welcome.
“It is more my day-to-day life that has changed,” added Pawlett. “To wake up and not have the pain is massive — it is a huge difference.
“You just got used to it. So to not have that, mentally, is great.”
‘That kept me going’
While the operation was undoubtedly required for what remains of his playing career, and life beyond, it meant a gruelling rehabilitation programme and eight months on the sidelines.
Although his three-minute cameo against Aberdeen earlier this month was cathartic, it did not herald an immediate return to contention for a starting berth.
But in the fullness of time, Pawlett is certain he will emerge stronger from the lay-off.
🚌 Dundee United secured all 3⃣ points in this Tayside derby against St. Johnstone as Peter Pawlett scored, before seeing red.@StJohnstone 0⃣-1⃣ @dundeeunitedfc pic.twitter.com/suzrOCduLU
— SPFL (@spfl) August 23, 2021
“It was really tough but, at the back of my mind, I was just thinking that after the pain I have been suffering for the last five, six, seven years, I could come back stronger,” he added. “That kept me going.”
Pawlett got a much-needed 45 minutes under his belt when United’s reserve side faced Dunfermline in midweek, illustrating a few nice touches at East End Park.
And, while he is itching to make an immediate impact when Motherwell visit Tannadice today, Pawlett is realistic enough to know that his perfect time to shine will come after the World Cup hiatus.
“Whether it’s ten minutes to start with, half an hour — who knows? Hopefully, I can add another dimension to the team and help us pick up wins,” he added.
“With the break coming up for the World Cup, that’s something I’m looking at to really kick on and have a pre-season, basically. After that’s done, I’ll be ready to really push on.”
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