In the Friday night clash against Dundee United, Matty Todd marked his return to first-team action after gruelling months on the sidelines due to an ankle injury. Todd, a key figure who played a crucial role in securing Dunfermline’s promotion last season. His return, although in a 2-1 home defeat, was met with enthusiasm and recognition for the 21-year-old’s ability to make a significant impact on the team.
The young player expressed his joy at being back on the pitch after the extended absence, stating, “On a personal note, I’m buzzing to be back. It’s been a tough fifteen weeks out with injury, but I’d just like to thank everybody that’s been involved with me; the surgeon, the physio, the sports scientist, and even the manager. They’ve all been brilliant with me. It was a tough period out, but I was glad to be back out there.”
Reflecting on his post-match physical condition, Matty remarked, “It’s all good to be honest. The surgery was actually to pin the ligament back to the bone and put a cage round it, so it probably is better than what it was before! It’s feeling fine. I’m feeling fit and I’m just looking to hit the ground running again.”
Despite his personal satisfaction, Matty couldn’t ignore the disappointment of the team’s defeat:- “On a collective note, it’s a really disappointing one. I thought we played well over the whole course of the game. We probably never deserved to lose the goal so late on, but that’s something we need to learn, work on, and try and see games out like that.”
Matty Todd entered the game as a substitute for Owen Moffat, who had just scored the equaliser against Dundee United. There was a real sense of optimism among the Dunfermline players and fans that they could secure a victory. Matty agreed, “That’s what we said in the dressing room just there. We had the momentum as soon as we scored the goal. We were on top, and it’s probably one of those where we need to take our chances when we’re on top in those kind of games.”
The winning goal, scored by Chris Mochrie of Dundee United, added a bitter touch to the defeat, considering Mochrie had spent the previous season on loan with Dunfermline. Matty added:- “Chris was great last year in the promotion year, but he’s not our player anymore; he’s a United player. Fair play to him, but we’re just really disappointed.”
The overall outcome put a damper on Todd’s comeback aspirations:- “It’s been a tough period out. I came back hoping to help the team towards three points, and keep ourselves in the play-off place come the end of the weekend, but it wasn’t meant to be. We’ve got to recover now, go into training next week, and look forward to the Inverness game here again next week.”
Matty has not had luck on his side ever since Dunfermline’s League triumph in April. He added detail:-
“My appendix happened the day after we won the league, and I always scheduled to get my nose done in the off-season. That had to be pushed back, and then, once the ankle happened at the start of the season, it looked like I was never going to catch a break.”
However, now back in action, Matty showcased his fitness and energy on the field. He acknowledged, “To be fair, the manager said it in his pre-match during the week, that I’m probably one of the fitter boys in the squad. Not to hype myself up, I probably am. I just keep myself fit and healthy, and that’s probably what’s helped me play 30 minutes or so.”
Despite the setback, Todd expressed gratitude for the support he received from fans during his recovery. He stated, “The supporters, to be honest, have been brilliant. They’ve been absolutely brilliant. Everybody will be hurting from Friday night and over the weekend, but we have to pick ourselves up and go again next weekend.”
