Holt happy to be the butt of jokes after health scare

GARY HOLT is relishing being the butt of a joke after making his return to work. However, the Livingston boss admits his health scare was no laughing matter.

Holt, 46, spent five days in Kilmarnock’s Crosshouse Hospital this month after muscle damage sustained during a punishing gym session resulted in a serious blood condition. It forced him to miss the Lions’ Premiership clash against St Mirren, which they ultimately won 2-1.

Nevertheless, he has received little sympathy in recent days as he leads Livingston’s preparations to face Rangers tomorrow – and he wouldn’t have it any other way.

“Sympathy? That’s been in short supply!” he smiled. “Wee Cheb [Stephen Sproule], the kitman, who takes us for the gym and takes me for my sessions said: ‘If it doesn’t kill you it makes you stronger.’

“He said we’d be back in the gym soon. I don’t know about that.

“I like opening myself up to a bit of stick and when I’m the brunt of it - and it’s definitely been my turn the last 10 days.”

However, Holt’s light-hearted assessment should not deflect from the severity of the situation. Doctors were forced to give him a stark explanation as he badgered them for an early discharge in time for the Buddies clash.

Holding a press conference for the first time since the incident, Holt confessed it was a wake-up call as he considered the effect any lasting damage would have on his family.

“I’d wanted to go [to the St Mirren game] but I got a wee scare when the doctor sat me down on the Friday, told me what happened and how serious it was. I was being a stupid footballer, thinking I hadn’t got a break or a cruciate. I didn’t have a strain and I wasn’t in a cast, so I wanted to be out on the frontline.

“But you don’t realise things aren’t right, internally. They were very patient with me!”

Opening up about how the damage occurred, Holt added: “It was me thinking I could be superman again and pushing myself. I’d had three months off the gym so, to then do the session I did, my body said ‘no way, now have that!’

“I enjoy the pain of it and pushing myself to stay fit but health comes first. I’ve got a wife and four kids, those people are more important to me.”

Confined to his hospital bed, Holt was forced to turn to the radio to follow Livi’s fortunes. That only saw him further incur the wrath of his doctors.

He laughed: “I got told off for shouting! I think my bloods went back up. It really is much better when you’re at the game.”