Christie Elliot has provided a boost for struggling Partick Thistle by revealing that he is nearing a return from long-term injury.
The versatile 24-year-old has been out of action since suffering a spinal injury in a pre-season friendly against Rotherham.
In typically selfless style, Elliot says that the hardest part of being out with a long-term injury was being unable to help his teammates through some of the low-points they have endured so far this season.
He said: “It’s been a long road back. It’s been hard and it’s been frustrating not playing, but I’ve just tried to stay positive as much as I can. I did everything I could with the physio in terms of my rehab, and everything went well with the operation, so I’m well on the way to being on the mend.
“It’s frustrating at times when you’re watching the team and you can’t contribute. We started the season badly and as a player you always want to be out there helping, but at the end of the day you’ve just got to stay positive, work as hard as you can, and be ready to take your chance again when it comes.
“Everyone wants to be in it together, and being injured at the minute I can’t bring anything to the table apart from supporting the boys.
“When we picked up those seven points from three games that helped, and hopefully we can start marching on now in the league.”
Elliot admits that the tight-knit nature of the Partick Thistle squad, and the support of his manager, have been key factors in helping him cope with the mental hurdles of being out for a sustained period. Now the biggest challenge for him is trying not to do too much, too soon.
“I still always speak to the gaffer to let him know where I am, and I still get all the banter from the boys, so it’s not as if I feel left out,” he said.
“It’s just one of those things when you get injured, the important thing is how you come back from it and hopefully I can come back to the team an even better player than I was.
“Everyone here has been brilliant with me. Since I’ve been injured I’ve still been in with all the lads, we all stick together and the only thing I don’t do at the minute with them is training.
“I’m just doing my own regime as I try to get back fit again, and within a few weeks I should be back training with the boys.
“I’m not sure how far away I am at the minute. I got the operation a couple of weeks ago and after that I felt totally different. I could tell it was sorted straight away.
“I’ll have a few weeks to get my fitness back and hopefully after that I’ll be ready to start playing again.
“I’m having to hold myself back a bit and the physio keeps telling me that I don’t want to push it too soon.
“I don’t want to go back to square one, so I’ve got to take it slow and steady and hopefully if I do that then I’ll be even stronger when I do get back.”
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