BEN Stirling is ready to train through the summer in a bid to put his injury hell behind him.
The FC Edinburgh defender snapped his Achilles in his left foot in the final league game of last season and has spent the last 11 months slowly working his way back to fitness.
He finally made his return at Dunfermline Athletic last month as a last-minute substitute, then added a further five minutes during the Capital club’s draw with Montrose at the beginning of April before starting the defeat to Peterhead at the weekend.
He said: “That game against Dunfermline was a great feeling.
“To be honest, I have missed that every Saturday.
“It is all the messages, all the people who have supported you and then you get it again when you come back.
“I checked my phone after the game and it was overwhelming.
“I did get quite emotional and I have probably learned a lot about myself.
“I have improved as a person on and off the pitch.”
The injury came during the first half at the Forthbank Stadium home of Stirling Albion at the end of April last year.
Edinburgh had already secured their place in the League Two play-offs, which they would go on to win by defeating Dumbarton and Annan Athletic.
However, the former Hibernian youngster would not feature in those knockout ties after suffering the serious injury about 10 minutes before the half-time interval against Stirling.
Stirling, of Aberlady, said: “As soon as it happened, I knew it was bad.
“I tried to get back up and my foot went wobbly. I knew then as soon as I tried to get up it was bad.
“I just played a ball out wide and tried to hit the box. A yard before the box, it went pop.
“There was nobody around me – it felt like I had been shot.”
The 24-year-old has had a long road to recovery.
That has included spending weeks in plaster and in a moon boot before even being able to return to a swimming pool to build his fitness back up.
Along the way, he “tweaked” his hamstring, which set him back another eight weeks.
Stirling, who attended the village’s primary school and North Berwick High School, was quick to praise his club for their support both on and off the field.
He said: “Credit to them, they did not have to do anything.
“I was out of contract – after the Stirling game I would have been out of contract on the Monday, if not for the play-offs.
“I had options but just after surgery I got a call from the chairman.
“He let everything settle down and the club never had to do that.
“They paid for everything to see my specialist and put me through all the surgery appointments and gave me a two-year deal.
“That is credit to them and I am just looking to repay them on the pitch.”
The Capital club, who returned to their Meadowbank home following the redevelopment of the ground, remain in with a chance of reaching the promotion play-offs and possible promotion to the Championship.
Four points adrift of Alloa Athletic with four games to go means that there is still all to play for.
However, whether the Citizens finish in the top four or not, Stirling has a busy close season ahead of him.
He told Courier Sport: “I basically had a year out and I will not be going on any holidays.
“I will be looking after myself in the off season and looking forward to pre-season ahead.
“I think it is massive for me to get a good pre-season and to stay fit because I have had 10 or 11 months off.
“I have not played many minutes and I want to bounce back quickly next year.”
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