Barnsley v Derby County: Near-death experience gives Tykes star fresh perspective

Almost miraculously, the defender was back on the pitch less than two weeks later and subsequently dubbed 'Lazarus' by his Derby County team-mates.

Today, McEveley is set to line-up against Derby in a Barnsley shirt with his heart in full working order.

No-one can fully explain why it switched off during a routine operation to repair a broken cheekbone but all that matters to McEveley now is that he lived to tell the tale.

"It may have been a reaction to the anaesthetic but I've had plenty of operations down the years and nothing like that has happened," he says. "I have had hearts scans since – looking for murmurs – but all the tests have come back clear.

"I only think about it now when I read stories about people who collapse and die on a football pitch from heart attacks. That's when you stand back and think, 'crikey, it could have been me', or 'what if I had not woken up?'

"Even now, I don't really know what happened," he admits. "I suppose I am just happy that I have lived to tell the tale. But it has made me appreciate things a bit more and there is no psychological damage or problems. It's all gone and I just look back on it as part of my adventure!"

McEveley, 25, returned to the Scotland squad this month after a two-year absence.

Although he did not figure in the games against Lithuania or Liechtenstein, his return to the fold was still another major milestone in his career.

Born in Liverpool, McEveley was capped at youth level by England but switched allegiances because his grandfather – former Bradford Park Avenue goalkeeper Jim Begg – was Scottish.

He had won three caps before falling out of favour with Scotland's former manager George Burley and started to think his international days were over.

"I was playing week-in, week-out for Derby but I never got a phone call and felt it wasn't going to happen until there was a change of manager. Getting the opportunity to meet (the new manager) Craig Levein face-to-face and letting him see how I trained was just what I needed.

"You can't judge people purely on performances, you need to see them close-up," he said. "It was a good 10 days and the team had a couple of good results – getting four points from two games. Hopefully, things are going to kick on from here."

During the international break, McEveley – who played in the same Everton youth team as Wayne Rooney – struck up a rapport with Garry O'Connor, the Birmingham City striker who subsequently joined Barnsley on loan last week. Both men had been drafted into the Scottish squad as late replacements with both having previously been out in the cold.

"He asked me about life at Barnsley but we had no idea at that stage that the (Barnsley) gaffer was interested. I was full of praise for the club and as soon as he found out about the move, he contacted me. He's a great signing and it was good to see him score on his debut."

O'Connor bagged the crucial equaliser in the 5-2 win over Leeds United which has sent a message to the rest of the clubs in the Championship: Barnsley mean business this season and are not simply going to settle for survival.

Reflecting on his decision to move to South Yorkshire after being released by Derby this summer, McEveley said: "I had a great time at Derby and will always have some great memories but I was disappointed to be released.

"I had played in most games for the club last season and was even told that a contract would be on the table around Christmas – but it never came about.

"Maybe the manager (Nigel Clough) just felt it was time for a change and, to some extent, I was regarded as a Billy Davies' player. In the end, he said he couldn't offer me anything but was confident I would soon find another club.

"Overall, it was a rollercoaster ride at Derby but I made over 100 appearances and have no regrets. I was more than happy to sign for Barnsley because the manager (Mark Robins) said everything I wanted to hear.

"He asked me what I wanted to do with my career and I told him I wanted to get back to the Premier League and get back in the Scotland squad. So far he has been true to his word – but no-one is getting carried away just yet."

That midweek victory over Leeds lifted Barnsley onto 10 points from the first six games of the season. Significantly, it is a tally that has not been equalled since the 1996/97 season when the Tykes famously won promotion to the Premier League. It also extended the club's 100 per cent record at home this season.

"It was a great result and performance," recalls McEveley. "We could have collapsed after going a goal down so early but we showed real character to come back. We all want to make Oakwell a hard place for teams to visit this season and so far we have achieved that. On Saturday, we have a similar test against Derby. "

Barnsley striker Iain Hume has joined Preston North End on a three-month loan with a view to a permanent deal. Hume has struggled to hold down a first team spot at Barnsley since recovering from a fractured skull suffered against Sheffield United in November, 2008.