David Wotherspoon has thanked everyone for the support as he continues his long road back from serious injury.
St Johnstone’s influential multiple cup-winning midfielder ruptured his ACL in November’s League Cup semi-final against Celtic at Hampden.
Having gone under the knife, rehab has started and the 32-year-old hopes to be back producing the famous chop for the start of next season.
“I haven’t made a particular timeline for myself,” he said. “I’m taking it one stage at a time.
“But I would hope to be back next season. Unfortunately I won’t be able to be back on the pitch this side of the summer.
“Hopefully just after pre-season, if not just after the start of the season, I hope to be back on the pitch.”
A motivator for Wotherspoon will be striving to make it back for the 2022 Qatar World Cup, which begins in November. Canada, who he has now represented a number of times, are on the brink of qualification.
“Of course I’ve been watching every game and following the progress as much as I can,” he said.
“It’s great to see and no surprise to me with the ability we’ve got in the squad. Hopefully they make the last push in March to qualify for the World Cup.
“I’m just going to try focus to get myself back fit and hopefully I can be in with a shout.
“Just being there would be incredible but at the same time, with the squad Canada has got, we would look to make an impact on the World Cup.”
This is the worst injury Wotherspoon has suffered in his successful career so far (he has broken his foot, fractured a wrist and broke his nose too) and he realises that patience is going to be required.
Reflecting back to November 20 at the national stadium, he said: “It was a freak incident. I planted my leg and twisted the wrong way.
“That’s how easy it can happen. As soon as I went down I felt something go. That was it. I just knew something was wrong.
“I knew I had done something bad. I didn’t know how severe it was at the time. The next day it swelled up really badly. I got my scan results back and it was the ACL.
This kind of injury is a bitter pill to swallow at any time but particularly for a player who had been enjoying a wonderful spell of form in his career, tracing back to the memorable cup scenes of 2021.
There has been no lack of support following his injury, though, with his wife, family, friends, all at the Perth club and fans coming together to show their appreciation and send their well-wishes.
“I was in the tunnel and I actually phoned my wife to make sure she was okay,” Wotherspoon said. “I knew she would be watching and would be worried.
“As soon as I got the news back from the scan, she was really supportive. She was there for me, as were my family.
“And obviously everyone around the club has been very supportive - giving me calls and text messages after the news. Even the Canada national team have been in touch to make sure I’m okay.
“There are massive highs but there are so many lows in the game, particularly when you are injured it is hard to motivate yourself.
“You are normally going out to train and enjoy what you love doing. But the support around about me is brilliant - my wife, kids and family.”
Still around the dressing room environment, Wotherspoon will be encouraging his team-mates as they fight to haul themselves up the Premiership.
One recent arrival tasked with helping that mission is Canadian striker Theo Bair, signed from Vancouver Whitecaps last month.
“I’ve been in touch with some of the boys over there who played with him,” Wotherspoon said.
“He actually phoned me before he came to find out about the club. I sold him the dream - coming to St Johnstone. He’s a great lad, a big powerful boy.
“Hopefully he can now hit the ground running and bring a new dimension to our play.”
Of course, all associated with St Johnstone are counting down the days until Wotherspoon himself returns to the field of play. Saturday afternoon at McDiarmid Park just isn’t the same without the famous chop and ball roll.
Wotherspoon noted: “It’s a case of taking it one stage at a time and trusting the medical staff to do what is right for me.
“There has been progress, slow progress, but I’m keeping to the programme.”
