Dundee’s Kevin Thomson has revealed that words of advice from legendary Rangers boss Walter Smith helped him become a big character and have the strength of will to overcome a succession of serious injuries.
The Dens skipper has battled back from no less than four broken legs and two cruciate injuries and is arguably the Dark Blues’ most important player.
However, Thomson, who will lead the team out at Patrick Thistle today, admits that it annoys him he has not received enough credit for overcoming those huge setbacks, especially when the “injury-prone” tag is placed around his neck.
The 30-year-old former Scotland midfielder said: “Unfortunately luck has never been massively on my side.
“I would love for the day to come when people give me a bit of credit for what I have come through.
“I don’t think I’ve had much credit for coming back from two cruciate ligament injuries and four broken legs.
“I’ve managed to have an all-right career given the injuries I’ve sustained.
“It does stick in the back of the throat when you are called injury prone, you are this, you are that.
“Nobody ever says you are unlucky. It is either you are injury prone or not a good player.
“I’m quite proud of what I have done and, fingers crossed, if I get a break then people will see what I can do on a football field.
“One thing that Walter Smith said to me when I signed for Rangers was that to become a star at the club you needed to be a big character.
“He told me I had all the ability in the world but that I wasn’t a big character.
“I had to learn to become mentally tough and I think doing my cruciate at Rangers was the key to becoming a big character.
“It was unfortunate that it took a serious injury for me to get the tools I needed.
“I think I am now mentally tough and I have got what it takes to overcome anything that is thrown at me.”
Thomson believes the chat with Smith was key to helping him break into a Rangers side that was packed with household names at the time.
Thomson added: “He had left me out of the team so I chapped on his door.
“He was great with me and I became a mainstay in a team full of stars.
“It was no easy feat to get in that team every week.
“I had to change as a person. I had to stick my chest out when I trained with people like Barry Ferguson and try to come out of their shadows.
“I feel when I reached 23 or 24, I finally became the person I needed to be.
“The criticism does hurt. I am human like everybody else.
“I wouldn’t say I’m under-rated because everybody who has played with me or managed me would speak highly of me.
“In that respect it doesn’t frustrate me but it does frustrate me that I have not prolonged playing at a higher level for a longer time.
“That doesn’t take away from the fact I am proud to be the captain at Dundee and proud to lead the boys.
“I just love being involved. If you watch me in training, I run around like a five-year-old.
“Unfortunately, I’m just one of those boys who love football but don’t get much luck.
“Fingers crossed it will change and I can get a run of games.
“It could be worse. We have played six games and I’ve played in four of them.
“I feel as if I’ve contributed to the four games so if I can keep doing that I will be more than happy.”