St Johnstone skipper Dave Mackay admitted he was just delighted to be back out on the pitch on Saturday following his recovery from hip surgery.
However, he knew that come Sunday morning, he would be as stiff as the proverbial board and unlikely to be skipping around the golf course with some of the club’s fans.
Mackay made a quicker-than-expected return to the Saints starting line-up against Dundee and remarkably lasted the entire 90 minutes.
He was unable though to help St Johnstone pick up their first league win of the new season with the Dark Blues taking all three points thanks to goals by James McPake and Kane Hemmings with Steven MacLean pulling one back in the second half.
Mackay said: “I feel fine. I probably felt stronger the longer the game went on.
“It always takes a bit of time to get your bearings again.
“I felt from about half an hour onwards that I was feeling better and a lot more comfortable.
“I am just glad to be back involved.
“There was never any talk about the manager taking me off.
“I have only had 45 minutes in an Under-20 game but I felt I was fit enough in terms of running, it was more sharpness.
“It is a balancing act but I feel I am getting there.
“I have been roped into a golf day with some of the fans on Sunday but I think I will be needing a buggy for that!”
Meanwhile, St Johnstone goalkeeping coach Stevie Banks has left the club to take up a similar post with Blackpool.