New baby in lockdown and fresh beginnings for Buckie Thistle star John McLeod on the road to recovery after 30-month absence
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WHILE many will remember 2020 as their toughest year yet, Buckie Thistle’s recovering star John McLeod sees it as one of new beginnings.
He has already celebrated his wife Kirsty giving birth to baby Sofia during the current Covid-19 lockdown, a little sister for Lexi (5).
And while family has always come before football for the 31-year-old, his frustrating two-and-a-half years out injured have left him with a deep desire to resurrect his career.
After three hip operations and various setbacks, McLeod was finally making some progress in March. He did the warm-up for the home match against Huntly and his playing comeback was on the horizon when the season was prematurely called to a halt.
“I felt good doing that warm-up,” he said. “It was sore after and the recovery was slow but I think it was getting to the stage where I was hoping to get on the bench, even if it was just minutes at the end.
“All that was stopped, but I’d like to think a pre-season would do me good, I’d like to do the first session and see how my recovery is, how long it takes me to get through everything.
“That’s definitely a good target for me.”
Jags’ supporters still have fond memories of McLeod’s impressive 47-goal tally which was instrumental in delivering the club’s last Highland League title triumph in 2016-17.
However, the striker has only played a handful of games since that glorious campaign.
In Jags’ title defence season, the effect of a persistent hip problem took its toll on McLeod, who was one of numerous players in boss Graeme Stewart’s squad hit by injury.
Video: John McLeod's Scottish Cup hat-trick against BSC Glasgow in 2017
Playing through the pain, McLeod still netted 15 goals by November, the last one in a 4-1 home defeat to Nairn County on November 25, 2017, which is the last game he played.
Surgery on both hips, including two on the right side, has meant the road to recovery has been painfully slow for the Inverness-based player.
“Every time you felt you were getting somewhere, it was like you were hitting a brick wall and you were back to square one,” he said.
Now finally making good progress, McLeod has even recruited the services of a Highland League opponent to help him step up his rehabilitation.
Clachnacuddin player/ assistant manager Sean Webb works as a physiotherapist and has given McLeod a programme to aid his recovery to full fitness.
“He’s been brilliant, a great help. We might play against each other next season and he realises that he might be faster than me.”
