A shive shot through every nerve-ending in Liam Boyce’s body as he lay on the Tynecastle turf – and he immediately knew his cruciate had gone.
Last August’s agonising breakdown against St Johnstone wasn’t the first time he’d suffered a horror ACL tear after all. Weeks later, when the diagnosis was confirmed and the prospect of a ruined season set in, that shiver turned to cold fear that in the final year of his contract his future had been plunged into jeopardy.
It’s no wonder the Northern Irishman feels like he owes Hearts big time. Owes them for their belief and support in handing him a new deal just 14 weeks into his 11-month absence. Now it’s payback time. And Boyce is determined to show he’s lost none of the magic that made him a first pick a year ago – and convinced Jambos chiefs and former boss Robbie Neilson to tie him down on that new deal. The 32-year-old is back in full training as Hearts go through the pre-season pain in the unforgiving heat of southern Spain.
And he said: “The new contract was massive. When you get injured you’re devastated. Then when you realise you’re out of contract and you think about rushing back to play a couple of games to prove yourself again and have a chance of a contract.
“But Robbie phoned me two weeks before the operation and said ‘we want you to stay at the club and don’t want you having to worry or rush back. We want you to come back as yourself’. I really appreciated that from the club. It helped me settle down and have some security.
“I didn’t want to rush and risk it happening again. It was massive for my family because my daughter’s in school and it’s important to have security and know you’re in the right place.
“All I’ve wanted in football is to feel wanted by my club and my team. It gives you the confidence that they think highly enough of you and believe you’ll come back and be as good a player as you were before.
“It gives you a push and you feel like you owe them something. I just want to get back and show everyone what I can do.”
Boyce suffered a lengthy lay-off after tearing his ACL just weeks after becoming Burton Albion’s record signing six years ago. And he knew straight away he had suffered the same cruel blow when his studs caught in the turf as he tried to nick the ball from Saints’ Dan Phillips last August.
He said: “I planted my foot and changed direction...you can just feel it straight away. I got a big shiver going up my body.
“It felt like it hit both funny bones and you want to grab something. Your body knows something is wrong. You’re shaking your hands through shock and panic.
“I was holding my knee and I knew right away – then it was about waiting for the results to see the damage.
“Going back to my first cruciate I was young, I just wanted to get back and play and didn’t really know a lot about the percentages that your injury could happen again. Nine months is when that percentage drops off. It’s still a possibility though.
“I probably could have played the last couple of games (of last season) but then I got a wee hamstring niggle and didn’t want to rush just for 10 minutes of the last game of the season. Hopefully in pre-season I will get game time. It will be more gradual but I’m aiming to be ready right away.”
Much has changed in the time Boyce spent in rehab. Not least the manager, with Neilson paying the price for a late wobble that saw Hearts relinquish their grip on third place. Frankie McAvoy and Steven Naismith are the men the frontman has to impress but the latter’s demanding style is not new for Boyce who partnered Naismith in the last term of his career.
Boyce admits having to watch the Europa League group stage clashes against Fiorentina and Istanbul from the sidelines has him fired up to hit the ground running.
He added: “He (Naismith) was like a manager when we were playing together anyway!
“When he never had the ball he’d be telling me what to do with it. He has so much experience and Frankie even more so I’m sure it’ll only be good for us.
“You can see the difference in training. You see a lift when a new manager comes in, the intensity has been high. They have a good balance and all have an input.
“I can’t wait to experience the way we’re going to play. I’ve never played European group stage football so to miss those games last year was tough.
“Those are the games you think you can help but it hurts to watch and experience it. I just wanted to play European group stage football – and that’ll be the aim this year.”
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