SUPPORT from family and team-mates have left Ben Stirling determined to bounce back after injury setback.
After snapping his left Achilles in the final league game of 2021/22, the defender was out of action for 11 months.
He returned in March but managed just 136 competitive minutes on the pitch last season.
However, plenty of hard work throughout the summer meant the Edinburgh City man was ready and raring to go for the new 2023/24 campaign.
Unfortunately, he lasted just 44 minutes of the Capital club’s opening game of this season, against Kelty Hearts, due to a slight hamstring tear.
He said: “Obviously, it has been tough being out for so long and you just want to play regularly.
“I knew I was going to get wee niggles just because I had been out for that length of time.
“It is frustrating watching the boys every week and you are sitting in the gym or going out to watch them at the end.
“It has been a struggle; to be honest, more mentally than physically.
“Physically, you know you are going to get back but mentally it is challenging.
“There are good people round me and the club have been brilliant.
READ MORE: Football: FC Edinburgh's Ben Stirling back after injury hell
“My family have been brilliant, especially over the last year when I could not really walk or run for four to six months.
“I’ve got amazing people around me and it is just about talking to people.”
Stirling, who previously had loan spells at Arbroath and Alloa Athletic, was also quick to offer thanks to his former club Hibernian.
The Easter Road side have offered training facilities for the defender, who plays alongside Haddington’s Danny Handling, who also featured for Hibs.
Stirling had to wait until the middle of March to make his first appearance of last season when he stepped off the bench against Dunfermline Athletic for the final few minutes.
A further four appearances over the closing weeks helped to get him closer to full fitness and he vowed to work hard through the close season in a bid to be ready for the new campaign.
He said: “I did quite a bit – I’m not sure if that had an effect on this injury.
“I did not take too much time off – two weeks off as soon as the season finished – and then got straight back into it.
“There was a lot of hard running. I came back really fit and it is just unfortunate this happened.”
The injury came with Edinburgh leading 3-2 against their fellow League One side in a high-scoring Viaplay Cup clash at Meadowbank.
Twenty-five-year-old Stirling was sprinting back after a corner at the opposite end of the pitch when he suffered a slight tear in his hamstring.
The injury has seen the former Aberlady Primary School and North Berwick High School pupil sidelined since.
However, he was pleased to say the finish line was in sight and he was hopeful of getting back to playing within a matter of weeks.
Speaking to Courier Sport last week, he said: “I got back running yesterday.
“I would like to say in the next four to six weeks I could be back involved with the squad.
“Whether that is one on the bench or on the pitch but hopefully I will be there or thereabouts.”
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