Kevin Rutkiewicz: I spent 3 months in boozer trying to handle my injury hell

Apr 20 2008 By Scott Mcdermott

Kev Pulled Pints Just To Ease Pain St Johnstone V Rangers Today, Kick-Off 3pm Live On Bbc 1

ST JOHNSTONE skipper Kevin Rutkiewicz has revealed he got a job in a pub as he tried to recover from the injury that almost made him quit football.

The defender was advised by a doctor to hang up his boots after rupturing ankle ligaments last year.

But following a three-month stint working part-time in a Glasgow boozer - with the permission of former boss Owen Coyle - the 27-year-old is back at the heart of Saints' defence.

And he will cap a remarkable comeback by running out at Hampden today for the Scottish Cup semi-final showdown against Rangers.

Kev was shocked when a top London surgeon told him to pack in the game. But he's delighted he ignored the advice and fought his way back into Derek McInnes' first team.

Rutkiewicz is in no doubt his time pouring pints in Molly Malone's helped his recovery - as it stopped him going mad at home.

He told MailSport: "I'd been out for two months and had an air-cast on. I was going off my nut sitting in the house.

"I couldn't go into the ground every day because there was nothing for me to do.

"So I asked Coylie if he'd mind me getting a job at night. I used to drink in the pub so spoke to the bar manager and explained my circumstances.

"I said I could only do a few nights a week but they were happy with that.

"It was the first time I'd worked in a bar and and I had a baptism of fire - my first shift was on a Saturday night.

"There were a few spilt drinks. In fact, I left one of the draught pumps on - there were about 45 pints' worth over the floor!

"But it kept me going through a tough time. It also got the ankle moving again when I was carrying drink up the stairs.

"Coylie understood, he knew I had a fragilemind at the time.

"As soon as I was back jogging I packed the job in but part of mewas gutted because I enjoyed it. Working there helped me because it was touch and go for a while whether I'd play again.

"The doctor John Browett said I should maybe consider another profession. At my age he felt I might be better chucking it.

"Thankfully he left the decision in my hands and I thought to myself, 'I want to give it a bash for one more year'.

"I was totally taken aback by what the doc said. I clammed up for a week and could barely speak to my mum and dad.

"It made me sit down and wonder where I went from there.

"My ankle hadn't set properly and the doc advised me to stop playing and give up."

Rutkiewicz is grateful he has suffered no reaction to the injury that could have wrecked his playing career.

The former Aberdeen defender is now a major player in McInnes' line-up and will be a key man for the Perth side today if they're to upset the odds and beat Gers.

But the troublesome ankle will be well protected and Kev admitted he still visits a foot guru in Edinburgh for extra safety.

He said: "Thankfully there has been no reaction but the rest of my body is still playing catch-up.

"I strap the ankle up for every game and do lots of work on wobble boards to help it.

"I've lost movement because of the scaffolding in the ankle.

"Although there are no pins in it I have no ligaments left. The surgeon had to drill through the bone and pull tendons through.

"At least I have a big shark bite of a scar that always looks good when I'm on the beach! I have authotics now as well.

"I go to a foot doctor in Edinburgh who cracks it and moves it about. He gets me special insoles.

"I can crack it myself now but it's fine. It releases a bit of fluid.

"It's not in my mind that the ankle might go again."

Rutkiewicz reckons he's making up for lost time at McDiarmid Park after a promising start to his career at Pittodrie went pear-shaped.

He broke into the side as a 19-year-old but confesses to then getting cocky - believing he'd made it before failing to fulfil his potential in the Granite City.

Kev would love to make up for that by getting to his first Scottish Cup Final - especially having missed out before.

He said: "I thought I'd missed the boat at St Johnstone in terms of getting to cup semis after missing both of ours last year against Hibs and Celtic.

"I've never played in one so Sunday will be special.

"I came close with Aberdeen to making a final.

"When Ebbe Skovdahl was manager I played in almost every round but was left out for the final against Rangers in 2000.

"This is the best chance in St Johnstone's history to go on and win the cup. And I want to be part of that.

"I missed out on being part of Aberdeen's history and they're a big club.

"That's what makes me more determined to do it here.

"My head was up my a**e for most of my time there and I want to make up for that.

"I was immature at Pittodrie - I thought I'd made it and would go in a huff if I wasn't playing - but I've learned from that."