It may be a lonely journey but St Johnstone’s Andy Jackson is being tipped to successfully negotiate the comeback trail.
The 22-year-old Saints striker has had a catalogue of injury woes, first suffering from a mysterious bowel complaint and then a serious knee injury.
He returned to action towards the end of last season and is working away on his own at the club’s training base at Stirling University in a bid to be ready for the new SPL campaign in August.
Such is his determination, he has convinced his manager Derek McInnes that Saints are about to get a “new” Jackson.
“Andy has been training hard at Stirling throughout the summer because he knows how important it is to be fully fit for pre-season,” said McInnes.
“He has had a terrible time with injuries over the last couple of seasons but I still think he can get back to the player he was two years ago.
“Andy scored a lot of goals in the first division back then and I still think that player is in there.
“If he keeps working hard and gets a bit of luck with his injuries then he is someone I think can have a big future for us.
“This season is massive for him because I think he has the ability to score goals in the SPL.”