Preston North End exclusive player column: Billy Bodin on his recovery from a freak injury and saying goodbye to Ben Davies

It was good to be back in action and play my first game in quite a while when we played against Sheffield Wednesday at Hillsborough last week.
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The result obviously was disappointing, a 1-0 defeat in a game when there wasn’t a lot between the teams.

From a personal point of view though, putting on the shirt again and coming on as a substitute was a big thing.

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I’d had a knee operation and had only been back in training for a week or so when the game came around.

Preston winger Billy Bodin is challenged by Sheffield Wednesday midfielder Barry Bannan at HillsboroughPreston winger Billy Bodin is challenged by Sheffield Wednesday midfielder Barry Bannan at Hillsborough
Preston winger Billy Bodin is challenged by Sheffield Wednesday midfielder Barry Bannan at Hillsborough

I travelled with the squad but hand on heart, had not expected to make the bench.

So to do so was a big bonus and hopefully I can get more football as the weeks go on.

I got injured in the most bizarre manner, a freak accident is probably the best way to describe it.

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I’d finished a training session and was just stood around having a drink and a chat with some of the lads.

Ryan Ledson kicked a ball from a few yards away and unfortunately shanked it straight into my knee.

It was a complete accident but the impact caused a bit of cartilage damage in the knee.

This actually happened much earlier in the season and to start with I was advised just to rest it.

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I was still training and playing but the injury kept niggling away and it was got worse.

We gave it another period to try and settle it down but in the end I had surgery to shave some of the cartilage away – the bit that was hanging off.

It was a straightforward operation and required about six to eight weeks of rehabilitation.

Being at the new training ground is better when it comes to doing rehab work after an injury. The gym looks out on to the pitches and you feel more a part of what is going on.

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You can see the other lads training and it drives you on towards getting back – you feel close to the lads rather than being out of sight.

Unfortunately I’ve spent time in the gym recovering from injuries far too often for my liking so hopefully I can keep fit now, build on my match fitness and general sharpness. Just getting 10 or 15 minutes last week was a big step forward.

The big news this week at the club was Ben Davies’ move to Liverpool.

All the boys in the changing room are made up for Davo, that he’s gone to the club which is seen as the biggest in the world at the moment.

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Over the last 18 months or so, Davo has made playing in the Championship look easy, he’s been that good.

He reads the game so well, while some defenders will head or kick it into touch, he seems to give himself a couple of seconds’ extra thinking time and that helps him get the better of the striker he’s up against.

His touch seems to be perfect, even when strikers are trying to close him down.

Davo came back to the training ground the day after his transfer to pick his boots up and all the boys were wishing him well.

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He was training that evening so it was just a case of a quick chat.

Davo is a fairly quiet lad but he’s got a dry sense of humour which people like.

He’s quite chilled out and won’t have any trouble when it comes to settling in at Liverpool. We will all be following his progress with a lot of interest.

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