CHARLIE REILLY has revealed he had to fight ELEVEN injuries last season.
The attacking midfielder made just eight substitute appearances for Dundee after joining from Albion Rovers 12 months ago.
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His move came after he had been nominated for the PFA Scotland and Football Writers’ Young Player of the Year awards.
But he was still suffering with a niggle picked up in his final game for Rovers when he started pre-season at Dens — and things didn’t improve.
Now fit again after a mini pre-season during his holiday, Reilly, 22, has revealed his ordeal.
He said: “It was tough for myself being sidelined for the majority of the season. I was told that there were 11 reported injuries for me.
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“It sounds mental but seven were muscles and others were knocks where I had to miss a day or two.
“I would come back feeling amazing then break down again.
“It didn’t help that I’d come back for pre-season last year and got injured.
“In my last game at my old club I got a wee knock and it followed me here so I didn’t get a good pre-season then.
“Ask any player and if you don’t get a good pre-season it won’t be helpful throughout the season, so it just kept happening and it kept spiralling.
“The boys in the team helped me through it and I needed a lot of support but touch wood I’ve felt good the past few months so hopefully I can kick on.
“I had never had an injury before, not one like that anyway. I’ve had wee niggles and I’ve had injuries, but it was mainly ankle or bones.
“Last year it always seemed to be the muscles in my leg and nothing was going right for me. It annoyed me because I had a lot of people wanting to see what I could do after hearing a lot about me being nominated for the young player awards, which was a surreal moment.
“I had to just try and get on with it and try to come back stronger and fitter and that’s what I’ve done.”
Going from training twice a week with Rovers — then in League Two — to full-on sessions in the Premiership took its toll.
Reilly said: “I think it played a massive part. I was part-time for two years, trained twice a week and tried to do as much else as I could myself.
“But that’s not the same as when you come to a level like this. You’re Premiership level after being in the bottom level of the professional leagues.
“It was such a massive jump, in terms of not being used to the intensity of training and the quality of what you’re dealing with every day.”
As much as Reilly tried to leave his troubles at the club, he let things get to him off the park too.
Asked how mentally tough things were, he said: “You’re probably better off asking my missus! I think she got it a lot.
“It was hard because I felt good then all of a sudden I felt something and it would hold me back for six weeks.
“My missus stuck by me though. The day something happened was always a hard day because I’d be gutted.”
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Reilly returned for Dundee’s pre-season last week and he’s out to show what he can do.
He added: “Firstly I want to get out there for myself but I want to show the fans what I can do.”
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