Ross County defender Will Nightingale is eager to salvage some late joy from what he regards as his toughest season in professional football.
English defender Nightingale has spent a second successive season on loan with the Staggies from AFC Wimbledon, who the 29-year-old has been contracted to for the entirety of his career.
It followed a successful temporary stint in Dingwall last season, in which he made 28 appearances.
This season’s move quickly turned sour, however.
Although Nightingale played the opening four games of the campaign, he went on to suffer a knee injury which required an operation.
With his last action a 6-0 defeat to Rangers at Hampden Park on August 24, it has been a season to forget for Nightingale.
Having now returned to fitness, and back on the bench for Saturday’s 1-0 loss to Aberdeen, Nightingale is determined to put the lengthy setback behind him.
Nightingale said: “This has probably been my worst season as a professional footballer.
“I think I managed to get in more games when I was 17, so it has been frustrating.
“It’s a lonely place really, and it can get quite dark.
“This is such a good club, with honest, hard-working people, so when you’re around people like that you want to reflect that and be the same.
“It’s difficult when you can’t do that, so it was a tough time to get through, but I had great support from the staff, players and my family.
“I wanted to be available a lot more this season, but I can put that behind me now and move past it.”
Nightingale too quick to rush back from early-season setback
Reflecting on his absence of more than seven months from first-team action, Nightingale admits he was too quick to try and rush himself back from injury.
He added: “From the very beginning of the season, I wasn’t fully honest with myself.
“I had my four weeks off with complete rest over the off-season, and then unfortunately my foot got stuck in the ground on the training pitch.
“At the start of the season, the pitches can be dry, and it was a bit of a freak accident.
“I was instructed to rest for six to eight weeks, and I rested for four.
“I was desperate to be back, and I was asked if I was ready so I said yes because I wanted to play.
“If I’m honest with myself, I wasn’t 100% right, because I ended up doing more damage to the same thing.”
Defender aiming to play his part in Staggies’ survival bid
Last term, Nightingale returned from a three-month hamstring injury absence to play the Staggies’ final six games of the season – including both legs of their eventual Premiership play-off triumph against Raith Rovers.
He hopes he can use his experience to County’s benefit as they aim to steer clear of trouble this time around.
Nightingale, who hopes to be in Don Cowie’s squad to face St Mirren in Paisley on Saturday, added: “I think everybody has their own experience that they need to bring to the party.
“Players have had those times, but then young players in the squad can offer something other players can’t even if they haven’t had those experiences.
“Everyone has their own strengths to get to this point, so now it’s about bringing that to the table.”
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