Eamonn now has his career back on track after fracture woes
Eamonn Brophy will look to continue making up for lost time when Aberdeen visit Paisley this afternoon.
The 25-year-old St Mirren striker will go into the game fully fit and firing on all cylinders again, following what has been a desperately low period in his career.
He struggled for six months playing with an undiagnosed foot fracture for Kilmarnock.
When a mid-season loan switch to Saints brought the issue to light, he had to sit out half a season.
It killed any chance Brophy had of playing for Scotland at the Euros and, given he had agreed a pre-contract move to St Mirren this summer, got him off to a frustrating start with his new club.
“To say it was disappointing would be an understatement. I basically wasted a year,” said Brophy, who scored Saints’ opening goal in last week’s 2-2 draw with Hibs.
“I was in Scotland squads 18 months ago, and part of a Kilmarnock team that had just finished third-top of the Premiership.
“Everyone, myself included, expected me to kick on. But it never happened.
“For six months at Killie, I knew I was leaving – and they knew I was leaving – so it was a difficult time. Plus, of course, I had my injury.
“If I’d known it was a stress fracture, I wouldn’t have played on. When I found out, it was a weird. I wasn’t disappointed, it was more of a relief.
“I knew there had been something wrong because I wasn’t as sharp as I could be. So it was a case of getting it fixed, and kicking on again.
“That is where we are at. I was taking painkillers up until about a month ago, but I am off them now and completely fine.”
The Glaswegian insists he feels in top shape mentally, as well as physically.
“Being injured can be difficult, but it gives you time to reflect on what you are doing right, and what you have done wrong,” said Brophy.
“So when you come back, you want to learn from your mistakes, and do the things you should have been doing.
“I am talking lifestyle and diet. I wasn’t bad, but when you are out injured, you maybe realise what you should be doing.
“I’m not a kid anymore. I’m 25, and want to get to the highest level I can.
“Not playing football does give you a lot more hunger. For 18 months, I was doing well, and you miss that.
“You see other people doing that, and you want to be involved again, and not just sitting in a physio’s room.
“It makes you hungrier to get back to that, so hopefully I can get back to my form of a couple of years ago. I believe I can.”
Had Jim Goodwin not proved so persuasive last season, Brophy could actually have been lining up against the Saints today.
Though the striker is coy on the subject, Aberdeen were one of several Scottish options open to him for a move last season.
“A lot of people were surprised I came here, but the manager really believed in me,” he said. “I didn’t hit the ground running when I got here, but he’s always stuck by me.
“I’m very grateful for that, and coming to St Mirren was the right decision for me – 100%.
“Aberdeen are going through a wee sticky patch, and it is hard to tell if it’s a good time to get them.
“They have good players and match-winners, but if we play to our ability, we can win.”