GARY MacKENZIE, the Dundee defender, has thanked sacked colleague Andy McLaren for helping to guide him through four months of injury hell.

"It was frustrating to be out injured and the journey up on the bus was terrible at times because I knew that I would just be lying on the treatment table, " he said.

"But Andy was fantastic and really kept me going, he was a big part of the banter we had on the minibus. I'm gutted that he's away because he's a good lad. We became good mates over the last six months and I'm definitely going to stay in touch.

"He's one of the nicest guys I've ever met in a dressing-room and I'm sure most of the lads will say the same. When Ross Harris was in the hospital he went up to see him and stayed for four hours to drive him back down the road to Glasgow."