THE BURT LOCKER

Injury can’t keep good man down for long

Shelbourne v Derry City

Today, 5pm

LIAM BURT has a double plan today, to help Shels win three points and to make a big point of his own.

Injury last season limited his chances of making an impact at Shamrock Rovers.

Since then he has been farmed out on loan to Shels, who have unexpectedly taken Rovers’ place at the top of the table.

Yet the Scottish winger does not feel he is proving Stephen Bradley and Rovers wrong – more than he is proving to himself he can hack it in a title chasing side.

Burt said: “Getting this run of games has been a huge boost to my confidence. To get a goal and an assist is huge, especially heading into a game as important as the Derry one.

“We all know it will be a tough game. We want to try and push hard in every game. And we have been doing that.

“We are all enjoying our football. I certainly know I am. Over the last few months, I have been playing with a little more freedom after the injury.

“All you want as a footballer, to get the chance, to get the games.

“After missing a huge part of last season, I just wanted to prove to myself that I can play at this level.”

Yet despite being a fringe player in Rovers’ title win last season, Burt still relished the experience of being in a dressing room populated by champions.

He said: “Winning is why you are in football. It doesn’t matter how many games you play. It is about winning. That is what football is.

“If you are at a club and you don’t win the league, it is a bad year for me and a bad year for the team.

“If you don’t win, you have questions about you.”