Kyle Doherty has witnessed first-hand the highs and lows of football in the 2021/22 term – but his focus on Albion Rovers has remained a constant.
The 20-year-old linked up with English Championship side QPR midway through the League Two season on trial before a metatarsal injury ruled him out for two months.
He still managed to be an effective contributor for boss Brian Reid at Cliftonhill as they comfortably survived in the fourth tier for another year.
Overall there were eight goals netted with one assist from 28 games in Coatbridge for Doherty, who could be set for a further chance with QPR.
All of that will be put to his representatives though as the youngster must focus on building upon his successful campaign.
He said: “It’s probably my best year at senior level. Obviously in the summer I had to go away and work hard. I got a good pre-season under my belt and I think that helped me out massively.
“I know my own ability and I know that there will be people watching me. Every game I go out and I’ll always give it my best.
“I don’t really think about things like that (transfer talk). All I think about when I’m playing is Albion Rovers and how we can win the match we’re playing.
“I will be leaving all of that stuff up to my agent over the summer. You are going to get more attention if you are playing against men, and if I am playing 90 minutes week in, week out.”
Injury hit Doherty during the season, just like it did several of his teammates at Albion Rovers, much to Reid’s frustration. The talisman says his own knock was a blow and one he hadn’t experienced before.
If everyone at Cliftonhill can stay fit, the former St Mirren youngster reckons they can aspire to more than a relegation scrap.
He added: “There’s been a lot of highs for me this season but the injury killed me a bit. That ruled me out for eight weeks.
“I had to bounce back from that and start playing games again. I had to keep going at it. I broke my metatarsal so I was forced to kick about with a moonboot on.
“Mentally it was tough as well but I got the support I needed and I got through it.
“Every week we had five or six boys injured so obviously survival is good. I don’t really want to be playing for that though, I want to be aiming higher.
“If we had everyone fit we could’ve been up there but that’s the way football is sometimes.”
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