Billy Mckay admits he has not enjoyed any of this season at Ross County – but has proved he can still cut it in the Premiership.
With only 10 starts to his name during this campaign and County struggling at the wrong end of the table, Mckay has been hurt by not being able to influence things.
A frank conversation during the week with manager John Hughes and a return to the starting line-up against Kilmarnock – only his second start since December – yielded two goals and three points in a crucial game against a relegation rival.
Mckay said: “It hurts massively not being in the team. I’ve not enjoyed a minute of this season, if I’m honest.
“I’ve been in and out of the team and, as a player at my age, I just want to play football.
A big day in Dingwall 🦌 pic.twitter.com/8Z9zbALoSf
— Ross County FC (@RossCounty) March 6, 2021
“I think you could see, my hunger is still there and my drive is still there to score goals.
“Hopefully I can play as much as possible in what remains of this season and help the team stay in the Premiership.”
Mckay did not go into detail about what Hughes had told him but hopes he has proved a point about what he can contribute.
He added: “It was an interesting conversation, let’s just leave it at that.
“He knows my feelings and that I want to play. I’ve probably had more chats with him since he’s been at Ross County than I did in all my time at Inverness with him.
“It has been frustrating for me, but I’ve had to be patient – I got my chance and, hopefully, I’m in his mind to play again next week.”
Victory puts County three points clear of the relegation play-off spot, ahead of Hibernian’s visit to Dingwall next weekend. It also condemned Killie to the bottom of the table, with Hamilton’s point against Aberdeen at Pittodrie lifting them off the bottom.
Mckay reckons beating a team near them in the table – who they will face after the split – could prove huge.
He said: “It’s massive because, apart from Hibs, we’re going to be playing all the teams around us. It gives us a psychological boost to know we can beat these teams.
“If we stay in the game, we’re going to get chances and score goals – and win games. That’s what it has done for us.
“If they had got the result, it wouldn’t be looking great, but now we’ve put a little gap between us and the bottom two.
“We want to kick on from here. It is seven games to go and it’s good momentum for us as well to go and get another result against Hibs.”