Aberdeen defender Clark Robertson is hoping his injury troubles are behind him after returning to the squad last weekend.
The full-back missed the first half of the season due to a thigh injury picked up on international duty but was on the bench for the League Cup semi-final defeat to Dundee United and could be involved in Saturday’s Premiership game against Ross County at Pittodrie.
The 21-year-old said: “It was a massive game for the club at Hampden and it was good to be back involved at first-team level after a few months out. I sustained torn thigh muscles playing for Scotland’s U21 side back in September in Slovakia so it has been a frustrating time.
“I am back to full fitness now after five weeks of full training and I have played in a couple of U20 games to get me up to full speed. It was disappointing to pick up the injury as I was making my way back into the first team after a knee problem.
“We had got to the bottom of that and I am now physically and mentally stronger than I have ever been after those couple of disappointments.”
Hampden has not been a happy ground for Robertson, who first played in Aberdeen’s first team in 2010, as he explained: “I was involved in a Scottish Cup semi-final against Hibs when I was just 18 and I had hoped that would be a great day out as well. It was the day that Rory Fallon scored his wonder goal but we lost that game 2-1.
“I would have preferred to be playing against Dundee United but after so long out I was happy to be on the bench. The team and the defence had been doing well so you cannot really expect the manager to make too many changes.
“It was a horrible feeling missing out on the Scottish League Cup Final last season when Aberdeen won it, as I was injured, and it was a horrible feeling at the final whistle last Saturday as well.
“I will get my head down and work hard. There is still a lot to play for this season and I want to be part of that. It would have been great to be working towards a League Cup Final place in March but was not to be.
“I still have plenty of targets to hit as I want to show that I can be the No 1 left-back at Aberdeen. I want to do that between now and the end of the season and that will help me prove I am worth a longer deal at the club.
“I know that Graeme Shinnie is coming in from Inverness Caledonian Thistle for next season and I see that as a real challenge. I have six months or so to make sure I have a starting jersey for next season as well.”
Craig Stewart
.png){kind=logo}
