David delighted to be back training with Well after suffering 12-month injury hell
THE coronavirus crisis brought Scottish football to a shuddering halt but gave David Turnbull the space he needed to prosper again. Now he has vowed to return better than ever after enduring the worst 12 months of his fledgling career. The Motherwell midfielder has had a year to forget after his £3.5million switch to Celtic collapsed as a result of a knee injury he knew nothing about. The 20-year-old finally returned to Stephen Robinson’s first team squad after undergoing an op, only for the campaign to be curtailed in the spring. Scotland Under-21 starlet Turnbull said: “I’m delighted to be back. It has obviously been a long time for everybody – not just me who was injured. “It’s great to see the boys, even if there’s still social distancing in place. “It has been a frustrating time as I was just getting back when coronavirus happened, coming off the bench twice for the first team and playing with the reserves. I felt I was getting back to full fitness and then the season finished. “But it probably actually helped me long-term as I had to get the screws out of my knee at the end of the season. “It meant I could get that done sooner and I’ve not really missed anything.
“I would probably have missed the start of the season otherwise, so this has maybe been good for me.
“I went for keyhole surgery. They said recovery would be four to six weeks and because we’d had so much time off I was told just to rest it completely. “Now my knee is perfect and I’m back in full training. It has been a funny year but the op has helped me in the long term and I hope I can kick on now.” Celtic will continue to monitor Turnbull from the sidelines after winning the race for his signature last summer. He went from the high of a move that would have secured his financial future for life to the low of fearing he would never kick a ball again. But he is now determined to put it in the past and push on for Well, where he has
BY GARY RALSTON g.ralston@dailyrecord.co.uk shot to such prominence after only 35 first-team appearances.
He added: “It was a big shock to be told about the injury. It’s weird because I’d been playing out my skin every week. I had to take it on the chin but I’ve got over it now and I’m back to full fitness.
“There has been so much said about me and yet I’m still so young. I’ve played 35 first-team games, which is a lot for some boys my age but it isn’t the hundreds. “A lot of people will be asking questions of me and there will be a spotlight on me to perform. But that will only push me even more to prove to everyone that I’m the same player and can still perform at the same level.” It took Turnbull almost six months before he could speak about the heartache of his injury, the first serious setback he has suffered in his senior career. He kept his counsel, sticking close to those he knew could get him through the toughest period of his life, especially at Motherwell where his contract was immediately extended after news of the injury was revealed. He said: “I wanted to sign a new deal and repay Motherwell for the brilliant way they’ve treated me throughout this period. “They looked after me way more than they should have – on and off the field. I’m sure I can get back to the levels I had before the operation. “I’ve learned lots this last year and missed lots too, especially banter with the boys and training every day. I won’t take that for granted. “The injury has probably made me a better and more grateful person.” In his absence Motherwell climbed the table and were rewarded with a Europa League spot when the Premiership was called and they were in third behind Celtic and Rangers. Turnbull added: “Playing in Europe will be a brilliant experience. “I want to push on and play in all these big games in Europe in my career.”