‘I’m keen to make most of my future with Fraserburgh’ – Fit-again Gary Harris

Gary Harris is keen to make the most of the rest of his career with Fraserburgh after putting 18 months of injury pain behind him.

The striker returned to the Broch team as a sub and scored in Saturday’s 4-0 win over Turriff United at Bellslea.

Harris, pictured, had spent a year and a half on the sidelines with an anterior cruciate ligament injury.

At times during his rehab the 32-year-old did ask himself if it was worth trying to get back playing, but he always came to the conclusion it was.

Harris said: “Before I was injured I felt I was doing well for Fraserburgh and scoring quite a lot of goals.

“I still feel I’ve got another couple of years in me. You do get hard times in the days after the operation and during rehab.

“Sometimes you think ‘is this worth it?’ to play part-time football.

“But you quickly realise you only get a short time playing so I’m keen to make the most of that and carry on.

“I didn’t want to hang the boots up and look back and think ‘what if?’.

“It’s a challenge as well because the lads have a joke with you. Ryan Cowie was saying to me ‘you’re putting on the weight’!

“So you want to come back and show you’re still good enough.

“It’s been a difficult time, but it’s been good to have all the people around me to help me along the way.”

Harris had his operation last January and over the last 12 months says that support network has been crucial.

He added: “It has been quite difficult coming back, but Ryan Christie has been out with the same injury and that’s really helped because we’ve both supported each other.

“We also have a great physio at Fraserburgh in Sarah Robertson.

“I’m also lucky that my brother-in-law (Stephen Gauld) is a personal instructor so I’ve been going to see him every week to build up strength.

“There’s always been someone there whether it be Ryan, Sarah or Stephen to push me on so I’ve tried to stay as fit as I can.”

Having been back in training for a month, Harris was delighted to be involved against Turra and mark his comeback with a goal.

He said: “It was brilliant to be back involved. I’ve been training with the lads for four or five weeks.

“Mark Cowie said to me beforehand he might give me some game time.

“The guys were joking with me about what I’d do if I came on and scored. But I said ‘I’ve forgotten my shin pads, never mind how to score’.

“But it was one of those moments where I got the chance and just tried to hit the target.

“There was no pressure on me really and it was good it went in.”