Liam Fontaine may have featured more for Dundee this season than many expected.
Having dropped out of the top flight after leaving Ross County last year, the central defender enjoyed a successful debut season at Dens Park.
A calming presence in a sometimes-rickety backline, Fontaine’s goals would also help the Dark Blues find a route through the play-offs to the Premiership.
Turning 36 next week, the defender has been ever-present since replacing the injured Lee Ashcroft at the end of November.
Playing seven 90 minutes in a month may raise some questions over players at that stage of their career.
Fontaine, though, says fitness isn’t an issue for him.
“If the manager just keeps rolling me out I’ll be alright,” he said.
“I’m obviously at the back end of my career, so I appreciate it and want to make the most of it.
“I’m really fit, I look after myself and do things right.
“I have done that my whole career, it was always drummed into me to look after my body.
“And as you get older you find routines that work for you, which is what I’ve done.”
Privilege
Fontaine is heading into the 17th year of his career after making his senior debut in the Premier League for Fulham in 2005.
Throughout that time he’s learned plenty about his own body and what it takes to perform as a professional footballer.
And he hopes all that hard work will ensure he still has plenty of future matches in him.
“I focus on the recovery side of things to make sure I’m at my best, so when the next game comes I’m ready,” he added.
“That’s doing things like pilates, going to the pool, watching the amount of loading you’re doing off the field.
“It doesn’t have to be massive, but I got to the gym every day to do something – weight sessions or maybe even just have a sauna.
“All things to help you keep ticking over and in the best shape.
“Hopefully doing those things will help prolong my career, it’s a privilege to do what we do as a career.
“So you owe it to yourself to be in the best condition you can be.”
Challenge
Though Dundee’s position in the Premiership this term could be better, Fontaine is savouring every moment out on the pitch.
“Every time I step on to a training field, never mind a pitch, I enjoy it,” he added.
“We are in a tough league, this is where we want to be and we knew how difficult it would be.
“But the challenge is enjoyable.”
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