David Raven might not have been too thrilled with it, but when Murray Davidson went flying into a touchline tackle with the Inverness man at McDiarmid Park last weekend, the St Johnstone midfielder knew his knee problems were behind him.
The challenge was full throttle, no fear Davidson of old.
And the Perth man admitted that he wouldn’t have committed himself to it earlier in the season.
“They weren’t happy about the challenge but I said to the boy Raven at half time I didn’t try to hurt him,” Davidson said.
“He had a go at me and I think he put his hand on the ref so that was his first booking and he was sent off late in the game for a foul.
“I was running in at pace and the ball was sitting up and there to be won.
“My momentum took me flying into him. He wasn’t too happy at the time but I took the ball cleanly.
“Mind you, Danny Swanson was moaning I got him as well!
“A few months ago after coming back from my injury I might have been a bit more reserved going into a challenge like that.
“But the knee feels as good as it ever did. If I had any doubts after the surgery they have gone now.”
Davidson revealed that his recent trip to England, for a meeting with a knee specialist recommended by Saints physio Michael McBride, has also helped put an injury-disrupted couple of years behind him.
There was the near year-long lay-off after he landed awkwardly against Hearts, concussion and a badly bruised eye against Rangers, and most recently Davidson hobbled off at New Douglas Park.
It was on the back of the incident in the match at Hamilton, which raised cause for concern over his knee once more, that the appointment with the specialist was arranged.
The former Livingston player said: “I went into a tackle at Hamilton and with it being on the astro it was jarred. I’m not keen on the astro anyway.
“I thought it was OK but I was sent to a specialist down south for reassurance when we had a free week.
“He went over everything, the x-rays, the scans. It was just jarred.
“So it was good to get that reassurance. It was another confidence boost for me. I got a routine injection and five days later I was training.
“Mentally that did me a favour. He is a top boy and has dealt with a lot of players.
“He said the surgeon has done a great job and the patellar looks brilliant.”
There is still a lot to play for in the last three games of this season, starting with a crucial Tayside derby tomorrow, but it will be a nice feeling for Davidson to be going into the next campaign under contract and injury free.
He said: “I have got my future sorted out and that is a big relief.
“Last summer I was still fighting my way back to fitness and the club gave me a short-term deal to show I could come back strong as ever.
“But I am under contract for another two years so I have security now that has been missing in recent years.
“I can go away and relax over the summer.
“Last year my future wasn’t clear. So this is a good position to be in.
“A few of the boys have been signed up early and that is good for the squad.”