Light at the end of the tunnel for Weir

PAUL KIDDIE

HEARTS striker Graham Weir can see light at the end of the tunnel following the darkest days of his career.

The Tynecastle front man is slowly emerging from a nightmare few months as he battles back from a horror leg injury suffered during his side's pre-season tour to Dublin.

The forward had been hoping to celebrate his 21st birthday on July 10 with an impressive showing against St Patrick's Athletic as new boss George Burley kicked off the Jambos' tour of Ireland against St Patrick's Athletic.

But his big day ended in agony as he was stretchered off the Richmond Park turf with a broken leg and displaced ankle early in the second half of the friendly.

Weir's misfortune could not have come at a worse time with just himself and Dennis Wyness the only recognised strikers available to Burley, who had been appointed as John Robertson's successor a matter of days previously.

The Gorgie strike star had jetted off to the Emerald Isle on a high having just penned a new one-year deal with the club but his excitement at making Burley's first starting XI was quickly tempered by the shattering injury blow.

Progress has since been slow and painful for the youngster, who carved himself a little niche in Gorgie folklore with his stunning injury-time double against Hibs which snatched a 4-4 draw at Tynecastle in January 2003.

The euphoria at his unlikely rescue act seems a distant memory now as he sets himself the goal of simply playing football again before the year is out.

"I have been told by the medical experts that the worst case scenario for getting back playing is January but I am obviously determined to get back before then," he said.

"I don't really recall much of the tackle except for the unbelievable pain which I felt at the time. It has to be the worst pain I have ever felt.

"It couldn't have come at a worse time either. The manager had just taken the job on and that was his first match over in Ireland. Myself and Dennis Wyness were the only first team strikers at that time.

"I felt I had been doing well in training having just signed a new deal and it was important to make the most of the opportunity.

"I was feeling good then all of a sudden everything changed so quickly. I went from a real high to a terrible low.

"I phoned home to tell my mum and she just burst into tears and I have to admit I just felt like crawling into bed and having a good cry myself."

X-rays in a Dublin hospital confirmed the striker's fears of serious damage and the long road back to fitness began with an operation shortly afterwards in Edinburgh.

Weir was forced to spend six weeks on crutches and only last week had further surgery to remove a screw which had been inserted into his ankle. The stitches from that operation will be removed on Thursday after which he will step up his rehabilitation programme.

"It has been a long few months and a bit soul destroying at times as my ligaments were also badly damaged," he said.

"But there is light at the end of the tunnel now and I'm just desperate to get back into proper training again. Keeping my spirits up has been the most difficult thing and it has been brutal at times to be honest. The biggest thing for me was seeing my team-mates when I'd come into the academy on crutches as they were all brilliant and kept asking how I was getting on.

"Stephen Simmons has been great as he got a bad injury at this time last year and saw the start of that season ruined for him.

"I think he knew what I was going through and was happy to come round to my house to pick me up in his car and give me a lift to training every morning when I was on the crutches.

"Hopefully I'm over the worst of it all and with a bit of luck I'll be back in full training within a month."

Weir's predicament has been compounded by the fact that he has been forced to watch from the sidelines as Vladimir Romanov opened the purse strings and bankrolled a string of new signings including a clutch of quality front men.

The arrival of Champions League winner Edgar Jankauskas, Czech Republic Under-21 star Roman Bednar and his highly-rated compatriot Michal Pospisil signalled the end of Wyness' career in Gorgie, the former Inverness Caley Thistle hit man returning north on loan until the end of the season. Weir appreciates it will be formidable task to force his way back into his manager's plans but for now he's just intent on regaining fitness and making his mark all over again.

"The guys the manager has brought in are all class players Bednar has really impressed me with his work rate for the team - and things are obviously going very well as we are at the top of the league at the moment," he said.

"I was at the 4-0 game against Hibs at Tynecastle and while that was great to watch, it was difficult as well as I just wanted to be out there and part of everything.

"I haven't thought about anything else as all I am concerned with is proving myself to the gaffer all over again."

The leg break was a cruel blow for Weir, who was struck down by the mumps last season just as the Jambos were embarking on their UEFA Cup group stage adventure against Dutch giants Feyenoord.

"I was out for something like eight weeks with that and while it was difficult as well, I found it easier to deal with. Being injured is just murder!" he said.

"With a bit of luck by the time I am ready to press my claim for a first-team place again we will still be at the top of the table."

Taken from the Scotsman