Dunfermline’s David Graham has revealed that his girlfriend was bristling after he grew a bushy beard that left him looking like Tom Hanks in the movie Castaway.
However, despite her protests, he only decided to opt for a close shave last week after attracting some strange looks from fellow Scotland fans at Hampden.
Graham had grown his beard over the course of 10 weeks while recovering from a couple of minor ops on an ankle injury.
Now, having regained full fitness, he is feeling “razor sharp” once again and is hoping to play a part as table-topping Dunfermline travel to face Dundee this Saturday.
“I injured my ankle in the second league game of last season against Morton,” he said.
“I went over it, tore the ligaments and fractured a bone.
“Afterwards, I just had one niggle after another. I had a few injections but in the end, it was decided to carry out a couple of wee tidy-up operations.
“Touch wood, that is it sorted now and I will not have any more problems with it.
“I really did not enjoy being in the gym working on rehab on my own.
“I missed the banter with the boys and did not get to see a ball for weeks.
“We all have to be clean-shaven on match days so while I was injured, I just thought I would take advantage of not needing to pick up a razor.
“I had the beard for nine or 10 weeks, so it was a decent growth I miss it, to be fair.
“I decided to take it off last Thursday night.
“I had been getting a bit of grief from my girlfriend Sharon but I was at the Scotland v Spain game last Tuesday and I was picking up a few funny looks so that was the last straw,” he smiled.
Dundee, of course, entered administration last week with nine players being shown the door.
While Graham has every sympathy with those who lost their jobs, he insists there can be no room for sentiment as the Pars look to continue their promotion push.
“We have had a good start to the season, helped by some impressive home form for a change,” he said.
“It has been patchy over the last couple of years but has been good so far.
“We have produced fine performances and results.
“I think we are also having a wee bit more luck and are a little more streetwise this season we know how to grind out games and get results which all adds up to a better points tally.
“We feel we have a really good chance of being promoted.
“Obviously, Dundee were up there at the start of the season as favourites and what has happened to them has been bad news.
“But from our point of view, it means that one of our challengers has been weakened.
“We are at the top of the table now so we just have to keep winning our games to stay there.”