Midfielder fighting fit after three months injury to help Inverness to safety
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CHARLIE Gilmour says he is fighting fit to help Inverness Caledonian Thistle avoid relegation as they prepare to face Hamilton Academical on Wednesday night.
The midfielder returned to action in the 1-0 play-off semi final win against Montrose last Saturday when he came on as a substitute in the second half after being out for three months with a knee injury.
Gilmour feels he is now in a good place to help Inverness take on Hamilton Academical as they fight to keep their place in the Championship next season.
He said: “I tore my MCL and was out for three months. I’m past it now.
“Last season at Cove I was injured for the play-offs, so it is good this year I can come back and help the team and hopefully impact the last two games.
“Hopefully we can stay in the division.
“I feel good. I didn’t obviously expect to be back so soon.
“The plan was for pre-season, but our season has been extended.
“It is a bittersweet moment for me - I get minutes on the pitch, but obviously I would have liked for us to have secured our status last week.
“It is a nice feeling to be back and I want to play my part and help the lads.”
Gilmour says he spent the majority of time he was out injured watching the team in the Championship.
He said he didn’t expect to be back fit before the end of the season, although he would have preferred Inverness had already guaranteed safety.
“To be honest, I watched quite a few games - I pretty much watched them all whether here or from afar.
“I was back home for two weeks at the start of my rehab and then I was back here working on my rehab and fitness.
“It is quite unexpected to be fit and ready before the season is finished, but it is not a case of me being rushed back.
“It is just a case of me feeling good now and we obviously didn’t expect to be in this situation. So it is bittersweet for me.”
Gilmour is confident that Inverness will see off Hamilton Academical over the two legs, with the first leg at New Douglas Park on Wednesday and the second leg at Caledonian Stadium on Saturday.
“Over two games, I think we have enough within the squad to win and stay in the division.
“It is down to us, really. We need to play our game and I feel that is good enough to stay up.
“It is massive that everyone is together and we all put a shift in, including the guys on the bench who get 10 or 15 minutes.
“It is everyone’s chance to stake a claim in the team.”
