GREG GLOOM LIFTS AT LAST
ST MIRREN v ALLOA
IT’S a short walk from St Mirren’s dressing room to the Paisley pitch but for Greg Tansey it’s the final few steps of a long, arduous journey.
For the last 15 months the Scouser has dreamed of marching on to a park pain free as he will do today when he makes his debut against Alloa.
There were days when hauling himself out of bed was a challenge, as a hernia problem descended into dark torment.
By the time the root cause was diagnosed he knew his chances of establishing himself at Aberdeen were gone.
Now the former Inverness midfielder finds himself in Paisley and is determined to make up for lost time.
Tansey said: “I picked up a little twinge in my hernia. I got it operated on then 15 months later I was still out.
“At the start of this season I found out that because of the first operation – and another operation to fix it – I’d got a pelvic infection.
“I had to take antibiotic drips. Once the infection went so did the pain.
“Now I’ve got to make up for lost time. Aberdeen didn’t push me out, they’ve been great with me.
“There were games I played for them after the operation when I could barely get out of bed.
“There was a stage when I thought it could have been the end of my career but I wouldn’t accept it.
“No one knew what it was. Then by chance we found out it was something so simple which could have been done the first time and it would have been just three weeks out.”
Tansey will be joined by fellow debutant Brad Lyons for today’s cup clash, plus a more familiar new face.
Kyle McAllister, who came through the ranks in Paisley before joining Derby in 2017, has returned on loan until May.
Boss Oran Kearney said: “It’s important to have people who know what this club is about.”
Alloa are unbeaten in six Championship games but midfielder Alan Trouten said: “St Mirren are the Premiership team and we will be massive underdogs.
“That’s the way it has been most of the season and we’ve been doing OK.”