Stevie Tosh reveals his delight at return to Livingston return

Feb 4 2010 by Eric MacKinnon, West Lothian Courier

STEVIE TOSH has revealed he helped seal his return to Livingston with a display Oscar winner Kevin Spacey would be proud of on the field-turf at the back of Almondvale during the big-freeze.

The veteran midfielder has joined Livingston for the second time until the end of the season after agreeing a loan move from First Division Queen of the South.

Tosh has revealed to the Courier the move gathered pace following a bounce match between Queens and the Lions last month. Now he is desperate to be one of the Usual Suspects in Livi’s title challenge.

“It is brilliant to be back playing after being out for almost five months,” said Tosh, who returned to Almondvale alongside another ex-Lion, Jim Hamilton, before the January transfer window closed.

“I was delighted to get 15 minutes in the match against Queen’s Park on Tuesday as well.

“I had discussed things with Gordon Chisholm (Queen of the South manager) and we agreed what I needed most was games.

“With Queens in their position challenging for the First Division title, it was going to be difficult to get games with no more reserve team.

“I played in a bounce match against Livingston last month and I was running about like Keyser Söze at the time as my limp was still bad and I think I even played a bit like him as well.

“I wasn’t really meant to be playing but I was given the last 30 minutes, which gave me my appetite to get back as soon as possible – two-weeks later, here I am.

“Gary Bollan gave me the opportunity to come back, which I was delighted to do as I have an affinity with the club.

“Gary and I were room-mates at Livingston the last time I was here, so I have kept in touch with him and we speak regularly. He was my friend first and foremost before becoming my gaffer.

“There is no sentiment in football and Gary hasn’t brought me here just to give me games, it was to help Livingston.”

Tosh’s career looked to be in the balance after suffering an agonising leg break in a Co-operative Insurance Cup clash against Rangers in September.

The veteran midfielder quickly dismissed any doubts abut his future by fighting back to full fitness and he insists he was always confident he’d be back before too long.

He said: “My leg seems to be fine and I had trained for the best part of a month.

“For a period of 24 hours, I feared the worst but once my surgeon had seen my break, he reassured me I would be OK.

“The break in the leg wasn’t too bad but I also had ankle ligament damage. We did the operation straight away and I had pins through my ankle, which put me out for four months.

“At my age, my hunger to get back was the main thing and I didn’t want the Rangers game to be my last and, thankfully, it wasn’t.”

The 36-year-old made his second bow for Livingston as a sub in their midweek win over Queen’s Park and he almost grabbed a goal with his first touch.

“I normally get booked on debuts and don’t usually get goals on them but it would have been nice to have capped things off by hitting the back of the net,” continued Tosh.

“But the most important thing for Livingston was the result.

“I believe that the wealth of experience the likes of myself, Robbie Winters, Jim Hamilton and Roddy McKenzie have will help the younger boys at the club.

“There is a lot of talent here but they just might need a little bit of guidance from the older guys.”

The midfield maestro has initially penned a deal to stay in West Lothian until the end of the season and he is refusing to be drawn on his plans beyond that.

“It would be folly of me to talk about the summer as the most important thing for me is to get back playing,” added Tosh.

“Fingers crossed, I can win the league here with Livingston and, hopefully, Queen of the South will win the First Division, but I just need to get games under my belt.

“You never know what will happen in the future, but then I do hear that Barcelona are interested in signing me!” he joked.