Peter Leven insists his new-found form and fitness is Rangers' loss
and Kilmarnock's gain.
The 21-year-old has been one of the most impressive newcomers to the
Bank of Scotland Premier league scene this term. The left-sided utility
man was discarded by Rangers in the summer after suffering a knee injury
that had sidelined him for two years. Rangers had helped rebuild his
shattered knee but left him on the scrapheap after he was available to
play again. Kilmarnock offered him a lifeline that had been tentative at
first but Leven quickly established himself as an essential part of the
Ayrshire outfit. Jim Jefferies has since offered him an initial
six-month contract but that was quickly upgraded to a new deal which
ties him up until the end of the 2007 season.
Peter said.... "There
is life after the Old Firm isn't there. I thought Rangers gave up on me
a bit early because they had said I wasn't going to be back to my best
for about four months. I was out for two years so I thought they
might have given me a bit more time - but they didn't.
"I was just glad I got a contract and get back to playing football
again.
"I am not even at my best yet. It will be a another couple of
months before I get back to that because I have been out for two years.
It did cross my mind when I was in the gym on my own every day thinking
"what is the point?".
"But my physio, the boys in my team, my manager and my family all
stuck behind me. It frightens me to think what I would have done if I
had been forced to quit. I really don't know."
"Michael Mols had just done his knee as well so he helped me
through and Ian
Durrant too because I knew him before I came here as well. Ian
Durrant spoke to me all the way through it, telling me to keep my head
up and I have.
"It does feel like a new beginning for me. My knee is fine. I
think it will take time to get over the psychological fear of it
happening again. I think that was one of the things Michael Mols never
did and never got back to his full potential.
"But I don't worry about my knee any more. It is as strong as it
ever will be."
Leven's turn of fortunes has also included a Scotland Under-21 debut,
just 2 weeks ago.
