Stuart Findlay says he will always be thankful to Kilmarnock for giving him a second chance.
The centre-back joined on loan from Celtic in 2015, playing 27 times before being released by the Glasgow side in 2016 without making an appearance.
He didn’t set the world alight during his time at Rugby Park first time around – but after joining Newcastle United, he got a shot to take care of some unfinished business in Ayrshire.
His second loan spell was far more successful, with Steve Clarke then convincing him to stay permanently in 2018.
And since then he has experienced victories over both sides of the Old Firm, even scoring a winner against Celtic, a third-placed finish, and a Europa League qualifying round tie.
But he knows none of that would have been possible without a second bite at the cherry.
He said: “I’ve been quite open about this, we done a media thing with Killie on their podcast.
“When I first signed I sort of let myself down a little bit. I don’t think I performed anywhere near what I knew I could’ve done.
“A lot has happened since then, I went down to Newcastle and came back up.
“I was lucky enough to fall into the Steve Clarke machine that took over for a couple of years and my career turned around at Killie.
“I’ve always been thankful for the club because they gave me a second chance and I think, personally, I didn’t really do well enough to deserve it.
“But they also had a bit of belief in me and I hope I’ve repaid that in the last two or three years where I’ve started to show a bit about what I’m capable of and hopefully I’ve made the club proud with what I’ve done for them.”
Now Killie are back in training and awaiting the season opener against Hibs on Saturday, August 1.
Full-contact training has resumed – and Findlay is delighted things are getting back to normal.
He said: “It has been quite good.
“First of all we had the non-contact stuff to get us back into it and now we are able to move on so it is good that every week there is a wee bit of good news and getting back to some sort of normality.
“Once we get the pre-season games up and running we can start to get back into doing what we all love and enjoy.”
Of lockdown, he added: “It was strange. Up until the day before we were to play St Mirren it was business as usual. You go from the game against them being cancelled to three months of sitting in your house and not doing anything.
“You are trying to keep yourself fit in ways that you are not used to and then you have to get back into the routine of training but you are then taking your own kit home.
“It is normal but not normal. You don’t realise how much you miss it.
“Now we are back it feels like you have never been away.
“Obviously it’s gutting not to have the crowd there at Rugby Park to support us but, at the same time, it’s pivotal we get off to a really good start.
“I’m sure we’ll be able to go out all guns blazing and put a couple of good results on the board early doors.”
