Making my mum — and my dad — proud is the biggest mo proud tivation I will ever have. Anything I do will be for my family and because of them

St Johnstone striker Callum Hendry on how a fresh start in Perth has made him realise just what matters most in his life

By Fraser Mackiemissed

CALLUM HENDRY had already

22 months of his career through serious injury when, at the age of 17, his knee fell apart under a ferocious challenge at Shawbridge, home of Clitheroe Football Club.

Dad Colin survived a few scrapes during battle-scarred days with Blackburn Rovers, Manchester City, Rangers and Scotland.

But this was another blow serious enough to trigger thoughts of giving up on following in his father’s bootsteps.

‘As soon as it happened again, I felt like that was it,’ admits Hendry junior. ‘That football wasn’t the right path for me.’

As he couldn’t walk after the operation and the dark days passed slowly, motivation gradually returned with considerable counsel from his father.

The most powerful inspiration, however, derived from his mother.

Hendry was only 12 when mum Denise died from meningitis following an agonising seven-year battle with illness caused by a botched cosmetic surgery.

Her passing left Scotland’s former ‘Captain Braveheart’ to support his four children through the heartbreak and bring them up as a single parent.

‘I’d been through a lot worse in my life, really, than just an injury,’ states young Hendry. ‘So it took only a couple of weeks to figure that I wasn’t going to chuck it.

‘Because of what happened, I think my perspective is massively different. ‘Making my mum — and my dad — proud is the biggest motivation I will ever have. It’s massive. She really wanted me to become a footballer like dad.

‘I have this memory of when I was only six or seven, I was at Blackburn and only playing seven-a-side. I was always looking over and she was always in the corner, with a big furry coat on and a furry hat with a cup of tea. Actually, it might have been a glass of wine!

‘Seeing me play first-team football would have meant so much to her. It really drives me to make it all happen. In fact, anything I do will be for my family and because of them.’

Hendry’s dad will admit to making some poor life choices as he went off the rails in the ghastly aftermath of losing his wife and best friend.

However, giving Callum the chance to opt out from Blackburn’s academy for a year was certainly not one of them.

In fact, it proved to be the making of this impressive young man, who has just broken into the St Johnstone first team.

Since being released by Blackburn towards the end of last season, he has made a startling impression on manager Tommy Wright this summer.

Initially signed as a prospect for the Under-20 squad, Hendry scored in a closed-doors friendly against Rangers, debuted last Saturday against Motherwell and is ranked ready to regularly represent his Ladbrokes Premiership side.

Hendry explains how, even amid the most dreadful personal and professional times, he was toughened up for the days of a senior career breakthrough.

‘My dad gave me the option after mum died and I felt that, yes, I wouldn’t mind a break,’ he revealed. ‘There had been no time to myself. It was school, then training.

‘A 45-minute drive from Lytham to Blackburn. As a kid, I didn’t have a social life and dad thought I really needed one after everything that happened. I played Sunday league for a bit. Mentally, that year was crucial to me getting through it. ‘It made me not take advantage of the great facilities I had at Blackburn and where the club had put me. ‘It did help me in a lot of ways. It was important to be around the family at that time. But, really, football was the only place I could go to not worry about anything, get on that pitch, even if it was Sunday league. ‘Then the injury made me not take football for granted. So when I get a chance to do extra training or the gaffer takes a session one-to-one, I do it. You get only one career. I have to give it everything.’

In a role reversal from his 51-timescapped father, Callum started out as a centre-half at Rovers before being converted into a striker.

He was born in December 1997 towards the end of Premier League title-winner Hendry’s second spell with Blackburn, so was a baby when dad led Scotland into the World Cup Finals in France and a toddler when Colin won a Treble with Rangers — despite never truly being endorsed by Dick Advocaat.

That means archive footage was the Saints forward’s friend as he grew up learning of achievements by a famous father who he insists has not been the pushy parent on his own path.

Hendry explained: ‘I wasn’t really aware of dad’s career when I was younger, it was only when I started getting to 14, 15. He’d retired, he was coaching then. At Clyde and Blackpool.

‘I wish I was old enough to seen him play but I can still watch bits myself, I’d be on YouTube all the time.

‘He’s been the biggest influence you can imagine. He’s been the backbone for me in my football and just for the rest of the family too, my sisters and my brother. I couldn’t have asked for much more.

‘He’s had a hard time with media and decisions made after mum passed away. But I wouldn’t be where I was without his influence.

‘I thought it might be trickier when I signed professional. I thought he’d involve himself more. He’s always took a step back and let my agent Brian O’Neill deal with contracts or whatever.

‘If I need advice, I’ll ask dad. He’d never just started giving me it. He’s been there, so he knows w like to get an earfu someone you don’t w earful from. He’s always there if I nee and we speak every

The former Scotlan (right) suffered drink gambling problem then a bankruptcy. A salvation of sorts is now the simple, proud pleasure of watching Callum make a giant leap in the game.

A call from agent O’Neill to long-time Hendry friend and the St Johnstone No2 Callum Davidson paved the way for a trial, then contract, in Perth following release from relega

Seeing me play first-team football would have meant so much to mum. It drives me on