Raith Rovers comeback was my Champions League - Robbie Thomson

It was the 26-year-old stopper’s first appearance for the club since snapping his achilles tendon at Stenhousemuir in April last year.

And his comeback could not have gone better with a clean sheet and three points helping to make up for months of gruelling recovery.

“I’m absolutely delighted,” Thomson told the Press.

“I just went out there and enjoyed it, because it’s been a long 10 months. I’ve been through a lot, so I went out there and played with a bit of freedom and really lapped it up.

“Although it wasn’t the prettiest game it was like my Champions League, just to be back out there and finally contribute.”

Thomson knew straight away when the injury happened that he faced a lengthy spell on the sidelines.

“It was horrible,” he recalled. “I knew straight away it was a serious injury and that I had a long road ahead of me to come back.

“It will be something I’ll need to manage for the rest of my days, but I know I’ve done everything right in my rehab.

“I’ve given myself no excuses and I want to try and contribute as much as I can.”

Thomson (left) has put the onus on himself to make sure he came back in the best shape possible – and it showed in a composed performance.

”I took a lot of ownership and did a lot of research,” he said. “I looked into the injury and wanted to get the best surgeon, and best rehab.

“I was thankful that, through the club and PFA in Scotland, I did all my rehab at Hampden.

“I also went down to St George’s Park in England because I played a season at Rochdale and I’m a member of the English PFA.

“They were brilliant. I was down there for three weeks, did my end range rehab and they gave me programmes to get me to return to play.

“Ever since then I’ve been diligent with my own rehab, five times a week, and a lot of hard work in the gym. 

“It’s boring, I hate it, but I’ve just made sure I’ve given myself no excuses because if I went out there, and wasn’t quite right because I’d taken the foot off the gas, or not done something I should have, I wouldn’t have been able to live with myself.

“I know within me I’ve done everything I can possibly do to give myself the best chance, and hopefully I’ll go on and get the benefits from it.”

Thomson has only played in a handful of closed doors games since returning to training in October but he felt ready to take his place on Saturday after Ross Munro picked up an injury.

“A lot of it for a goalkeeper is the mental side of it,” he said. “It’s also being in the right positions and being ready for things happening.

“Fingers crossed I can now go and play a good part of the rest of the season. I know I’ll give myself no excuses and be in the best shape I can possibly be.”