INJURIES are normally responsible for wrecking footballers' careers but Andy Todd is the rare exception to the rule.
Todd was on his way out of Blackburn Rovers last summer following a bust-up with former manager Graeme Souness.
Several clubs were clamouring for the 30-year-old's services as Souness made it clear he was ready to off-load him to the highest bidder.
But then, in a strange quirk of fate, Todd suddenly picked up a knee injury that ultimately led to his salvation because it forced Souness to ditch his plans to sell him.
The rest, as they say, is history because while Todd spent the next few months recuperating, Souness ended up quitting Blackburn for the bright lights of Newcastle.
That prompted the arrival of Mark Hughes and the Blackburn boss has since welcomed Todd back with open arms, so much so that the former Bolton and Charlton defender signed a new three and a half year contract earlier this week.
"It's been quite a turnaround for me over the last few months but that's football for you. As one door shuts, another one opens," said Todd.
"Looking back now, it's probably a good job I got injured when I did because it meant I couldn't go anywhere in the summer.
"If I'd been fit at that point then maybe I wouldn't be here now but I wasn't, so perhaps I got injured at that right time because things have worked out so well for me since."
It's a measure of Todd's rejuvenation that he will head to Middlesbrough tomorrow as Rovers' captain.
Hughes decided to give Todd the armband when Barry Ferguson began clearing the path for his move to Rangers and that was fitting reward for some towering performances by the classy defender.
"It's a great honour for me because anyone would like to be captain of their club," said Todd.
"I don't know what the situation is long term because Garry Flitcroft has just come back from injury and I don't know what the manager is thinking, so we'll just have to wait and see.
"But I'm very proud to wear the armband and I can't stress how much I'm enjoying my football here again.
"I signed a new contract earlier this week and hopefully there's plenty more good times ahead."
Todd's return has coincided with a dramatic revival in Rovers' fortunes under Hughes.
Earlier in the season, Blackburn had the worst defensive record in the Premiership as the goals flew in at an alarming rate.
October was a particularly bad month as Middlesbrough and Chelsea both stuck four past Brad Friedel on successive weekends.
However, Todd was then restored to the heart of the back four at the beginning of November and Rovers have only shipped 14 goals in the 17 games since.
That new-found defensive resolve will be put to the test again tomorrow when Rovers step out at the Riverside looking to avenge that 4-0 defeat they suffered against Boro earlier in the season.
On that day, Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink was Boro's destroyer-in-chief as he plundered a hat-trick against a weary Rovers defence.
The deadly Dutchman will be the man to stop once again but Todd and his team-mates are now ready to put up stiffer resistance, having lost just once in their last eight away games.
"They're all tough games at this level but we can go there with the positives we took from Wednesday night's game against Chelsea.
"Middlesbrough have got some very good players and I'm not surprised by how well they've done this season.
"They brought in Jimmy Hasselbaink and Mark Viduka at the beginning of the season and they're both great strikers so whoever plays at the back is going to have their hands full.
"They're both excellent players and if you give them a chance, they'll score so we'll have to be alert to that.
"Meanwhile, Middlesbrough boss Steve McClaren has admitted his frustration at failing to strengthen his squad in preparation for the run-in.
Boro failed to lure Celtic's Bobo Balde or Chelsea's Geremi to Teesside during the transfer window.
"We put a great deal of effort into bringing a couple of top class players before the deadline, but unfortunately for us it wasn't to be," he said.
"We really wanted to bring in a couple of quality players to strengthen the team, especially at a time when we have injuries to several key players."
With Gaizka Mendieta, Ugo Ehiogu, Chris Riggott, George Boateng and Viduka having all been troubled by injuries, McClaren was keen to bolster the squad.
But Celtic refused to part company with central defender Balde, while Geremi turned down the chance to return to Boro from Chelsea at the fourth time of asking.
"We wanted to sign Bobo Balde, but Celtic weren't keen to let him go.
"And while we agreed a fee with Chelsea for Geremi, but the player turned down our offer of a three-and-a-half-year deal," McClaren added.
"We made every effort to bring in new players, but it just didn't come off."
