Swansea City defender Marcos Painter knew he was ready to step up his return from injury when he had to out-run a police dog and hurdle a central reservation!
Having limped off just 11 minutes into Swansea's home game against Gillingham on November 2 with a foot injury, Painter was restricted to the treatment room until announcing his first-team return as one of the substitutes against Huddersfield 10 days ago.
But the former Birmingham defender knew five days earlier he was ready for a recall after making a trip back home to watch his beloved Blues take on Aston Villa in a fierce Midlands derby.
"My mate phoned me up to see if I wanted his father's season ticket as he couldn't go to the game,'' explained the 21-year-old. "Obviously I jumped at the chance after the Gaffer gave me permission to go.
"Midlands derbies are always fierce between Birmingham and Villa. Getting to the ground was no problem on the train, but unfortunately we didn't get the right result (Birmingham lost 2-1).
"Although they kept the Villa fans in the ground for an hour after the game, we could see there was trouble outside the ground. The problem was we had to get through it to catch the train from the city centre.
"I don't know how it happened, but we found ourselves on the wrong side of the riot police and in with the troublemakers.
"The next thing we knew, the police were charging towards us. They were still a long way away, so to be honest I didn't think too much about it. But the next time I turned around, there was a police dog ready to take a chunk out of me. I could smell his breath.
"I didn't have time to think about my injury. I was away like Paul Anderson chasing pigeons. And then when I had to jump the central reservation to complete my getaway, I knew I was fully recovered,'' he joked.
Painter didn't even have time to catch up with his former team-mates at St Andrews as he headed for the safety of the train.
"The season ticket I had was in the opposite stand to the players,'' he added. "The closest I got to them was phoning them on their mobiles and waving across the ground. Yes, I know it was one of them!''
But at least the trip to St Andrews brought the memories of his time there flooding back.
Having been born and bred in Sutton Coldfield, the Brummie is Blue through and through. But there's also a bit of black and white showing around the edges now after the defender swapped a three-month loan spell at the Liberty Stadium for a two-and-a-half year contract back in February.
His permanent arrival at Swansea came on the same transfer deadline day as fellow Blues defender Matthew Upson switched to West Ham in a £7.5m deal worth 100 times more than Painter's signature.
While Upson was desperate to get away from St Andrews, Painter's move came with a hint of sadness. Yes he wanted to move to Swansea in search of regular first team football, but it was still hard for a lad who had come right through the junior and youth ranks at his home-town club.
While his first team appearances were extremely limited in the Midlands, there were memorable moments which will stay with him for the rest of his life.
Having been offered a YTS scholarship at 16, Painter went on to make his first team debut against Scunthorpe in the Carling Cup in September 2005 before the Republic of Ireland Under-21 international made his Premiership debut three months later when he started against Fulham in a 1-0 win. He then went on to start five games for the club as well as being introduced as a substitute in four others.
Those Premiership games included two clashes with Manchester United - where he marked Christiano Ronaldo - and a 7-0 FA Cup drubbing by Liverpool where he marked Steven Gerrard . . . well he thinks he did!
But Painter knew that further opportunities would be rare at a Champions club bound for a return to the Premiership and he chose Swansea ahead of Chesterfield and nearby Port Vale.
It's a decision he has never regretted, despite the fact that a promising campaign last season was turned on its head when he had a run-in with one of his own fans in the Liberty stands during the goalless draw with Brighton back at the end of September.
It came on the back of a slow start to Swansea's home campaign and a day when the club's Supporters' Trust launched the 'Loud and Proud' initiative aimed at improving the Liberty Stadium atmosphere.
Painter admitted that his game suffered after the attack of the verbals, but he has put it all behind him now.
"It obviously wasn't very nice at the time, but a lot of fans have made a point of coming up to me since then with plenty of encouragement.
"They told me not to worry about one individual and they've been happy with what I've done since I've been here, which was nice to hear.''
Now Painter wants to demonstrate again why he was rated so highly at Birmingham and why the management hold him in such high esteem at the Liberty Stadium.
To do that he needs to put his foot problem behind him once and for all - after being diagnosed with flat feet!
"I've been to see a top foot specialist in London who deals with the likes of Chelsea and Spurs. She has designed special insoles for me to wear,'' he explained. "I had a problem with the underneath of my left foot first and then the right earlier this month.
"Hopefully the insoles will do the trick and I can push on towards regaining my place in the first team.''
Painter knows it won't be easy, however, with the reliable Kevin Austin having done such a good job in his absence.
"Kevin is a great pro. At 34, he's seen and done most things at this level and I've got the utmost respect for him.
"He's solid, reliable and professional in everything he does. He's always doing extra work in the gym - and that's why he's been playing at such a high level for so long.
"When I first came to the club he was playing centre-half and helped me out a lot. He's got a tremendous amount of experience and offered me a lot of advice, which I was grateful for.
"But at the end of the day, I want to be playing in the first team week in week out, so it's up to me to force my way past him. Mind you, he's built like a house, so I'd better do it carefully!''
Painter admits it's been frustrating watching from the sidelines, especially with the Swans on such a good run leading up to the game against Huddersfield.
"It's been frustrating because every time I seem to get a run of games together, I pick up an injury. There is never a good time to pick up an injury, but in my case it always seems to come at the wrong time.
"The team has been doing well and I'm sure the result against Huddersfield will prove to be just a hiccup. We are all desperate to get the club promotion this season and I'm desperate to play my part in that.''
And Painter is even prepared to suffer some strange stares to reach that goal.
"Part of my rehabilitation for my foot injury was to spend two or three sessions a week in the sea,'' he explained. "Apparently the freezing cold salt water helps the recovery process - it's renowned in Swansea.
"So there I am standing in the sea in the middle of November with a big Swansea coat on and the rain pouring down.
"The people walking their dogs on the beach take one look at me; put their dogs back on their leads and get as far away from me as they can. They think I'm barking mad!''
INTERVIEW: Jonathan Wilsher
