Raith Rovers boss McGlynn tips striker Vaughan to get back to his best

The hitman voiced fears in an interview this week that a fourth cruciate ligament injury could spell the end of his career.

But the Stark’s Park boss says he has faith the 24-year-old will soon be back to his best.

Lewis has been over this a number of times,” he said, “this has been his third one and it’s a long time coming back.

“He’s gone through a lot of pain, suffering and anxiety, but as he has said, he’ll come back stronger.

“He’ll be raring to go.”

McGlynn, who is currently on furlough until the end of July, revealed that Vaughan has been working hard to get to the root of the recurring problem.

“He’s been working on the injury - how he got it, the position of his body,” he said.

“We’ve got people who are not employed by the club who are working with Lewis to replicate the movement over and over so that he’s actually used to it.

“There’s a certain movement that he’s been making when he’s got this injury so that’s being worked on, so when he comes back it won’t be strange to him.

“He’s got a little top heavy for his size. He’s been working so hard in the gym that he actually got a bit too big on the top half of his body so we’ll be wanting him to slim down a little bit.

“We can’t say 100 per cent that this will take away all the doubts, but we’ve got to be confident that Lewis will come back better than ever.”

The striker’s third anterior cruciate ligament injury, which he has suffered in both knees, came in September but, despite only playing three games last season, he still managed two goals including a sublime effort against Peterhead which was voted Goal of the Season by the club’s fans.

McGlynn has no doubts in the player’s ability, despite his lengthy absences from the game.

“He’s not played a lot of football in the last two or three years, but the signs when he came back in the season past were that he was just like the Lewis of old.

“This extended break is actually going to be beneficial to him. He wouldn’t have been rushed back anyway, but now there’s absolutely no pressure on him to try and rush back, so he’s going to have longer to get back to full fitness.

“When he comes back to training he makes such a difference so I can’t wait to get back and be in that position – that he’s in training and buzzing.

“Our players get a lift when Lewis Vaughan is in the team, so actually it’s credit to them that they managed to win the league without him.

“But they can’t wait to be playing with him in the side next season.”