Dundee United defender Mark Wilson has confined his Bristol City hell to history after agreeing a new permanent contract to stay at Tannadice.
The Tangerines have given Wilson a deal until the summer of 2015, handing the former Scotland and Celtic man long-term security after he had rejoined his ex-club on a short-term basis in August.
Now that he is enjoying football again, Wilson lifted the lid on just how difficult it was for him at Ashton Gate.
He was frozen out of the squad and even pretty much ignored by Sean O’Driscoll, the second of his managers at the Robins.
No wonder, then that Wilson has loved being back at the club where he started his career.
“It wasn’t the best year and a bit for me after leaving Celtic because it just didn’t work out at Bristol City,” he said.
“I got a bit down about football and that’s happened to plenty of players who have left a big club and it hasn’t worked out for them elsewhere.
“So it’s been great coming back to United and working with the coaching staff and younger players. It has made me enjoy it again and it’s great that I’ve got this new deal as I can feel settled.
“There were a lot of low points at Bristol.
“My first manager there was Derek McInnes, who was fair with me and I loved working with him. But when Derek left and O’Driscoll came in it was quite a low point.
“I went in to see O’Driscoll and asked him if I had a fresh start because I had moved my family down and wanted to stay.
“He said everyone had a fresh start and we were all in his plans. That was the first time I spoke to him and the last time was a week before I left.
“He didn’t like chatting to people one-on-one. He was a strange fella.”
Wilson was frustrated that hard work on the training park was counting for nothing.
“I trained with the first team every day and was one of the better players,” he added.
“The assistant (John Pemberton) saw my attitude and liked it but O’Driscoll just wouldn’t even put me in any squads. I used to sit and ask myself why I couldn’t get into the squad, never mind the starting 11.
“I wondered then what had happened to me in the space of a year. I spent Saturdays on day trips with the family or watching the results come in on Soccer Saturday (on Sky Sports).
“It was a weird situation to train all week and not be involved on match day. It was always left to the assistant manager to break the news that I wouldn’t be in the squad. I was being told that it was best to stay with my family rather than travel with the squad.
“I never went to see him (O’Driscoll) until the last week of my deal. I needed to find out for my own peace of mind what the problem was. I thought it stemmed from a problem with the board and my contract when Derek left but he assured me that wasn’t the case and I just wasn’t part of his plans.
“I’ve been around football a long time but I couldn’t understand what was happening. I would go running every day after training with the sports scientist and they were at a loss as to why this situation had happened.
“It wasn’t like I was lazy in training or had a bad attitude and that’s what I couldn’t understand. It could have ruined anyone who wasn’t mentally strong.”
Now that is all behind him and Wilson is looking forward to happier times at Tannadice.
“It’s a different world coming back to United, where people actually want to chat with you!” he added with a smile,
“The gaffer Jackie McNamara will talk to you about what was on the TV the night before or just life in general and I appreciate that. O’Driscoll just couldn’t do it, and it wasn’t just the case with with me.
“I suppose that was part of his downfall in the way it ended at Bristol.
“Now I am grateful to have had someone like Jackie McNamara to bring me in and give me a chance to prove I can still play.
“The deal we’ve agreed is the end of this season and the following season so it’s a bit of stability for myself and my family.”
* Former Dundee United striker David Goodwillie has joined Championship side Blackpool on loan until the end of the season.
The Scotland international striker had been on loan to the Tannadice outfit until last week from Blackburn, whom he joined in a £2.8m deal in 2011.
His second spell with United was disappointing, with five goals in 19 appearances and he was linked with moves to Aberdeen and St Johnstone before linking up yesterday with the Seasiders, now under the caretaker management of ex-Scotland captain Barry Ferguson.