Stuart Findlay was on the brink of reaching a major Finals with Scotland when football went into lockdown.
Four months on and the Kilmarnock defender now reckons his first bounce game back is almost going to feel as joyous as a Euro 2020 showpiece.
Findlay can’t wait for an outing now that Scottish Government chiefs have given the all clear for friendly games to resume and the Premiership campaign to get going on August 1.
The Rugby Park defender was gearing up for a huge end to the 2019/20 term with club and country when Covid-19 struck.
Findlay and the entire game was plunged into shutdown, but now there’s light at the end of the tunnel and the 24-year-old is raring to go again.
He said: “It was strange. You go from a game being cancelled to three months of sitting in your house and not doing anything.
“It didn’t come at a great time. Scotland were gearing up for massive games and Kilmarnock had a massive end to the season coming up.
“It did put it into perspective when you saw the problems in the real world, but now that we are back, it is important we get a good pre-season and train well.
“It is weird. You get time to think. I had just worked my way back from my hamstring injury and I had time then to set my sights on what I wanted to do towards the end of the season.
“Then there is another knockback, but I had a lot of time to think and how much I have missed football. You feel like you take it for granted.
“When we eventually get to a game, it will be weird with no crowd and sanctions in place. But to get the ball out with referees and the strips on, it will feel like the biggest game I’ve had in a long time because it is a mile away from where we were.”
Findlay is adamant lack of crowds won’t quell the fires within Scotland’s top-flight as he continued: “I don’t think that’ll be an issue for a variety of reasons.
“First of all we’re all chomping at the bit to play a game. I don’t think anyone is going to need a second invitation to go out all guns blazing.
“Apart from that, whether there’s a crowd there or not, there’s three points up for grabs and it’s vital you get off to a good start.
“We’ve seen what can happen. You ride the crest of that wave, we’ve done it before at Kilmarnock and finished high up the league.
“Obviously it’s gutting not to have the crowd there at Rugby Park to support us but, at the same time, it’s pivotal we get off to a really good start.”
Findlay is relishing the challenges ahead and yesterday marked a fifth anniversary since boss Gary Locke first took him to Ayrshire on loan.
The defender says he owes the club plenty as he explained: “When I first signed, I sort of let myself down a little bit, I don’t think I performed anywhere near what I knew I could’ve done.
“A lot has happened since then, I went down to Newcastle and came back up. I was lucky enough to fall into the Steve Clarke machine that took over for a couple of years and my career turned around.
“I’ve always been thankful because they gave me a second chance. They had a bit of belief in me and I hope I’ve repaid that in the last two or three years where I’ve started to show a bit about what I’m capable of. Hopefully, I’ve made the club proud.”
