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ROWAN VINE...The Sun
THE ROAD to redemption has once again led to McDiarmid Park.
Bosses wrote me off...they had been told lies that I was just a bad boy
Four years after Jody Morris left England with his reputation in tatters to head for St Johnstone in search of a fresh start, Rowan Vine has followed in his footsteps.
The Englishman has barely kicked a ball for the last four years due to injury — while having his character assassinated into the bargain.
First a double leg break left him on the sidelines for 16 months.
Once the physical scars had healed, an even more damaging whispering campaign threatened to kill off his career in England.
Vine, who once cost Birmingham £3million from Luton in 2007, claims a feud with QPR’s controversial foreign owners forced then boss Neil Warnock into freezing him out of the picture altogether.
Opening his heart to SunSport, Vine has revealed how he was made to train with schoolkids, was BANNED from playing in the reserves even though he was coming back from serious leg operations, and saw his reputation TRASHED the length and breadth of the country.
Vine, who signed a one-year deal after impressing Saints boss Steve Lomas during a recent trial, said: “The last few years have been really hard. In England, there have been a lot of untrue things said about me.
“People saying that I was a bad lad, I have no desire, no hunger and didn’t want to play.
“I was injured for 16 months with a broken leg but when I came back QPR didn’t help me. Things happened behind the scenes with the owners, they didn’t want me and I was alienated for no reason.
“I wasn’t allowed to train properly, I had to train with the kids at 4pm.
“I wasn’t allowed to play in the reserves. I was trying to come back from injury — and this went on for two years.
“I’m sure if you phone Neil Warnock and ask him about me he won’t have a good word to say.
“That’s his own agenda. If people ask me about him I won’t slam him, I’m not that kind of person.”
Vine desperately tried to get out of Loftus Road in a bid to save his career — even phoning managers himself to ask for an opportunity.
But the 29-year-old found that his reputation had been blackened so much that people were not willing to even listen.
His faith in football was restored by Gillingham’s Andy Hessenthaler, who took him on last season.
But even Hessenthaler admitted that he’d been warned to run a mile rather than give him a chance.
Vine added: “I have picked up the phone to managers and they’ve just said “nah, I don’t even want to look at you’.
“Andy signed me and told me straight that nobody had a good word to say about me — even people who didn’t know me. I played for them for the last six weeks of the season and at the end he told me that he couldn’t believe the things people had said because it wasn’t true.
“It was nice of him to do that and it gave me the belief that someone would give me a chance.”
That chance came last Tuesday, when Saints boss Lomas called to ask if Vine fancied a trial.
Vine jumped at the chance and after scoring both goals in a win over Bristol City he found the phone started to ring again, with several offers quickly put on the table — including one from Rangers boss Ally McCoist.
But after being treated so well by Lomas he wanted to join Saints.
Vine said: “I just wanted someone to give me an opportunity. The gaffer and all the people at St Johnstone have done that.
“After the last few years that means a lot to me. I think that even if he was in England he would have taken a chance on me.
“I played against the gaffer in England but I didn’t actually know him.He’s a young manager, desperate to bring success to the club. I liked what he had to say.”
Vine will make his debut against Hearts this afternoon and said: “I don’t know a great deal about Hearts, but I have actually been to Tynecastle before. I was up in Edinburgh last summer and went to both grounds to have a look at them.
“I’ve heard all about the atmosphere there so am really looking forward to it.”
The Sun
THE ROAD to redemption has once again led to McDiarmid Park.
Bosses wrote me off...they had been told lies that I was just a bad boy
Four years after Jody Morris left England with his reputation in tatters to head for St Johnstone in search of a fresh start, Rowan Vine has followed in his footsteps.
The Englishman has barely kicked a ball for the last four years due to injury — while having his character assassinated into the bargain.
First a double leg break left him on the sidelines for 16 months.
Once the physical scars had healed, an even more damaging whispering campaign threatened to kill off his career in England.
Vine, who once cost Birmingham £3million from Luton in 2007, claims a feud with QPR’s controversial foreign owners forced then boss Neil Warnock into freezing him out of the picture altogether.
Opening his heart to SunSport, Vine has revealed how he was made to train with schoolkids, was BANNED from playing in the reserves even though he was coming back from serious leg operations, and saw his reputation TRASHED the length and breadth of the country.
Vine, who signed a one-year deal after impressing Saints boss Steve Lomas during a recent trial, said: “The last few years have been really hard. In England, there have been a lot of untrue things said about me.
“People saying that I was a bad lad, I have no desire, no hunger and didn’t want to play.
“I was injured for 16 months with a broken leg but when I came back QPR didn’t help me. Things happened behind the scenes with the owners, they didn’t want me and I was alienated for no reason.
“I wasn’t allowed to train properly, I had to train with the kids at 4pm.
“I wasn’t allowed to play in the reserves. I was trying to come back from injury — and this went on for two years.
“I’m sure if you phone Neil Warnock and ask him about me he won’t have a good word to say.
“That’s his own agenda. If people ask me about him I won’t slam him, I’m not that kind of person.”
Vine desperately tried to get out of Loftus Road in a bid to save his career — even phoning managers himself to ask for an opportunity.
But the 29-year-old found that his reputation had been blackened so much that people were not willing to even listen.
His faith in football was restored by Gillingham’s Andy Hessenthaler, who took him on last season.
But even Hessenthaler admitted that he’d been warned to run a mile rather than give him a chance.
Vine added: “I have picked up the phone to managers and they’ve just said “nah, I don’t even want to look at you’.
“Andy signed me and told me straight that nobody had a good word to say about me — even people who didn’t know me. I played for them for the last six weeks of the season and at the end he told me that he couldn’t believe the things people had said because it wasn’t true.
“It was nice of him to do that and it gave me the belief that someone would give me a chance.”
That chance came last Tuesday, when Saints boss Lomas called to ask if Vine fancied a trial.
Vine jumped at the chance and after scoring both goals in a win over Bristol City he found the phone started to ring again, with several offers quickly put on the table — including one from Rangers boss Ally McCoist.
But after being treated so well by Lomas he wanted to join Saints.
Vine said: “I just wanted someone to give me an opportunity. The gaffer and all the people at St Johnstone have done that.
“After the last few years that means a lot to me. I think that even if he was in England he would have taken a chance on me.
“I played against the gaffer in England but I didn’t actually know him.He’s a young manager, desperate to bring success to the club. I liked what he had to say.”
Vine will make his debut against Hearts this afternoon and said: “I don’t know a great deal about Hearts, but I have actually been to Tynecastle before. I was up in Edinburgh last summer and went to both grounds to have a look at them.
“I’ve heard all about the atmosphere there so am really looking forward to it.”
The Sun
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