ROSS McCRORIE had his whole future ahead of him when he moved to Bristol CIty in a £2m from Aberdeen this summer.
And things are finally looking up after his switch down south turned sour with a mystery illness limiting his impact at Ashton Gate.
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A ‘bacterial infection’ ruled him out at the start of the season and the ex-Rangers youth has yet to play for the Championship side since his lucrative deal was completed.
It was expected to rule him out of training until the new year with surgery potentially needed – and then boss Nigel Pearson careful over revealing the ‘sensitive issue’ diagnosis to the media.
He said: “I don’t think that’s something I can disclose in the public domain, it’s something that’s very unusual and very, very unfortunate.
“Medical records should be left in the private domain, not the public domain.”
But McCrorie hit a milestone today and was spotted on the treadmill for the first time.
City physio Andrew Proctor shared the good news with fans with a photo of the midfielder strapped into a piece of high-tech equipment.
The 26-year-old was jogging in an anti-gravity treadmill – designed to reduce the stress on the lower half of the body, and impact, when running on it.
Writing on X.com, formerly Twitter, Proctor said: “Massive day for this guy today. @RossMcCrorie4.
“Been a tough few months with plenty of bumps along the way, but chuffed to see the progress he has made lately. #BristolCity #Rehab.”
So far, McCrorie has managed one appearance for his new club – in a pre-season friendly against Swindon Town but he has yet to kick a ball in anger.
His brother Robby has also found game-time hard to come by at Rangers.
But though he made a positive impression in pre-season before the mystery set-back struck – McCrorie will have to prove himself all over again after City sacked Nigel Pearson last month.
The former Middlesbrough and Sheffield Wednesday defender had been in charge for two and a half years but was axed with the club lying 15th.
They finished 11th last term.
Betting has been suspended on Oxford boss Liam Manning taking over, although Rangers-linked duo Frank Lampard and John Eustace have also been linked with the Ashton Gate job.
Across the city, ex-St Johnstone boss Callum Davidson has been linked with the Bristol Rovers job and – as Sunsport revealed last week – has held initial talks with The Gas.