Jamie stepping out of the darkness

CONSIDERING Jamie McAllister hadn't kicked a ball in earnest for three months, it was perhaps fitting that the Hearts star made his comeback from injury in St Patrick Athletic's 'Stadium of Light'.

The 27-year-old had been sidelined since the Jambos' derby defeat from Hibs at Tynecastle in April, a niggling knee injury ruling him out of the run-in to the SPL campaign.

Sunday's outing against the Dublin outfit at their ground which is otherwise known as Richmond Park brightened up his summer - and he's now intent on making up for lost time as he sets about impressing new boss George Burley. The former Livingston and Aberdeen player was delighted to get the nod in Burley's first starting XI since taking over the reins and slotted in a left-back in the 0-0 draw.

"It was good to get back," he said. "It was a tough work out given how hot it was but it was great to be involved again.

"The first few days back in pre-season there was a lot of running but we then got the ball out and did a lot of short and sharp stuff.

"That was the first game and it's a case of building up as much match fitness as possible and getting as many games as you can under your belt before the start of the season."

It had been thought that McAllister would have to go under the knife to rectify the problem and a date had been set for his surgery. However, the player embarked on a rigorous rehabilitation programme to strengthen the joint and his dedication paid off with the medical staff deciding no operation was required.

That paved the way for McAllister to join his team-mates at the start of pre-season training and with Burley now installed in the Gorgie hot seat, he plans to do his best to stay in his plans with the curtain going up on the new season at Rugby Park in just over a fortnight's time.

"I missed around the last six games of last season through injury so I suppose I am trying to make up for lost time," he said.

"There's nothing worse than being out injured so it feels good to be back.

"The knee is brilliant. I rested it over the summer and did some strengthening work as well and that meant I didn't have to have the operation, which looked likely at one stage.

"I was scheduled to go in on June 29 but it was cancelled as the work I'd done on it had improved things.

"There was fluid on the knee and a ligament strain but it feels great just now and I'm just looking forward to playing more matches as it's important to try to impress the new manager and stay in his plans."

With the appointment of Burley, Lithuanian owner Vladimir Romanov, pictured below right, lived up to his pledge to bring in a big name to replace John Robertson at the start of a new era for the club. And the former Ipswich Town and Derby County manager has made an immediate impact with his approach to the job.

"He has been brilliant and a breath of fresh air," said McAllister.

"Everything is high tempo in training, which has been really good. He made an instant impression with the boys and things have been very lively. It's been excellent.

"He's looking at all the players at the moment. He's the man in charge and we're all looking forward to working with him.

"I prefer the left-back position so it was good to start there on Sunday but I'll play anywhere he wants me to.

"It's all about gearing ourselves up for the first match of the season on July 30 at Kilmarnock and it's vital we get off to a good start with our first home game against Hibs the following week."

He added: "I'll be trying my hardest to stay in his plans as will all the other guys. There is always a buzz around the place when a new manager comes in. He is full of fresh ideas with new training techniques and has massive experience as a player and a coach and I think he will be an excellent appointment."

The arrival of a new boss can often be an unsettling period for a team, with players unsure just what the future may hold for them while also being desperate to impress their new gaffer.

It's all water off a duck's back, though, for 27-year-old McAllister who reckons Burley will be his 12th manager since joining Queen of the South back in 1996. After three years at Dumfries he moved to Aberdeen and spent four years at Pittodrie before joining Livingston in June 2003.

Managerial changes were something of a regular occurrence at those clubs and it was more of the same after he moved to Gorgie last summer. "I have certainly had one or two managers. I think this is my 12th as I've had three at each club I've been at," he said.

"Billy McLaren signed me for Queen of the South and then I had Rowan Alexander before Ken Eadie came in. Paul Hegarty signed me for Aberdeen before Ebbe Skovdahl took over and I also worked under Steve Paterson at Pittodrie.

"It was a similar story at Livingston before Craig Levein took me to Hearts.

"Then there was John Robertson and now the new gaffer. I have become accustomed to it over the years! It's all part of football and you just have to concentrate on your own game when someone new comes in.

"Players and managers change a lot and it is a case of getting the head down and working hard to try to impress."

McAllister was hoping to shrug off painful blisters to line up against Bray Wanderers tonight and he's hoping to help the Jambos end their tour of Ireland on a high note after the stalemate on Sunday. "It's always nice to win pre-season matches - we want to win every game we play - but I don't think results are too important at this time of the season," he said. "I am sure players, managers and fans would prefer to lose all the pre-season matches and win the ones that count when the season starts.

"This is all about match fitness and building up our sharpness but hopefully we can get a good result tonight to take back to Scotland."

Taken from the Scotsman