Arabs got me fit as a fiddle so they will face music SAYS
HAMILTON ACCIES V DUNDEE UTD
Now he’s put them on doomwatch. The Hamilton playmaker started just his second game for Accies in Thursday night’s deadlocked play-off pressure pot.
He’s barely played af ter being blighted by a persistent knee injury since leaving Rangers in May 2016.
But after shifting the pounds and inching towards full f itness, he’s convinced he’s ready to make Ray McKinnon regret the regime he put the 28-year-old through.
The former Hearts and Rangers winger said: “I had a good spell at United. I managed to get five or six weeks of training in, lose a bit of weight and get myself a bit fitter.
“But the Hamilton manager took a chance on me and hopefully I’m paying him back after setting up two goals in the 4-0 win over Dundee. Come Sunday, I think I can help a lot as well.
“The Dundee match last weekend was my first start in 21 months so it’s been a long time out and I’m just glad to be back playing again.
“It was a horrendous time being out for as long as I was, not knowing what it was and if I was going to be back.
“So I’m enjoying just being back playing and training every day.
“The end of the season has come at the wrong time for me. Everyone is looking forward to a break and I just want to train and play.
“But if I keep doing stuff when we’re off and get myself a good pre-season I think it will benefit me massively.
“But the time I was in at United definitely helped me. Hopefully I can notch a goal and they’ll regret getting me fit!”
Terrors boss Ray McKinnon revealed: “David is a pal of Cammy Bell’s and came in just to get some training.
“He was overweight, there’s no doubt about that, and I think the travelling was hard. It was easier for him to go somewhere local for him to get his weight down.
“He’s obviously done it and he’s a real player, a good player, when he’s fit. So we have to keep an eye on him.”
In a piano wire- tight f irst leg, Templeton’s impact was limited.
The chances were few and far between for both sides and he admitted: “We’re a little bit disappointed.
“We wanted to go there and get a win to take back to our place.
“But you can’t be too disappointed with a 0- 0 draw. We still have home advantage and hopefully we can make it count.
“There were a couple of times in the first half where I managed to get in decent positions. But a few of the boys were struggling with the sun and couldn’t actually see when they were turning.
“That’s why we struggled and in the second half . They shut that space down and made it difficult.
“So hopefully if I am involved I can get a bit more space and time.
“I’m feeling good. I’m getting fitter just through playing games now.”
In an all-or-nothing 90 minutes this afternoon, the side who copes with the pressure of such high stakes will come out on top.
And Templeton insists that will be the side who doesn’t see winning as pressure at all. He said: “Of course there’s more at stake but the boys are just treating it as a normal game.
“We want to go out and enjoy ourselves because when we do that , that’s when we play our best.
“Tha t ’ s wha t happened a gainst Du nd e e a nd a g a i n Tannadice.
“It’s a hard place to go. I’ve been there many times and the fans make it difficult as well.
“United had them on their side and it helped them a lot. Hopefully we can get that and it will benefit us.” a t