It is often said that injuries breed feelings of isolation so it is in a slightly ironic twist of circumstance that Newcastle United’s treatment room was far from a lonely place in those concerning winter months. Elliot Anderson was there and the company lifted him.
“It really helped everyone, to be honest,” he says. “When you’re injured it’s a really lonely place – by yourself in the gym, working every day, with everyone else outside. But as it happened – which is unfortunate in another way – there were quite a few of us togethe
way – there were quite a few of us together.
“I spent a lot of my rehab with Tiggs (Matt Targett), which was good. We were on the pitch together, pushing each other and getting fitter, and it was good to have someone with you. We were back training on the same day, so we were both pushing each other on, ready to get back at it.”
This has been, according to the 21-year-old, the “toughest season” of his nascent career. The stress fracture in his lower back he suffered in October kept him out for far longer than the six weeks initially hoped. At the end of that period, he had a scan to check everything was alright. “And it wasn’t,” he adds. “So the specialist said I needed another six weeks of doing what I’d been doing. That was tough to take.
“I struggled, to be fair. I wouldn’t say I dealt with it amazingly. Every day, when I’d go to bed, I’d be counting another day off to the six-week scan. When I got that news about it being another six weeks, for the first few days I struggled. But then I managed to pick myself up and be ready for the next six weeks.
“It’s really tough seeing the lads going out to train, but I wanted to be in here (the training ground). I didn’t really want too much time away. I had a hip injury a few years back and was out for a decent amount of time. I deal with it quite well but in the moment I start worrying and things like that. Once I’m back fit I feel like I’m in a better place.
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