Preston North End player column: Ethan Walker on being back in the PNE squad after Carlisle loan and shoulder surgery

I went on loan at Carlisle at the start of the season and had played a few games when I hurt my shoulder.

It happened in a game at Sunderland, I’d got the ball on the halfway line and was running with it.

One of the Sunderland lads was tugging away at my arm and I was trying to get free from him.

Another player came across and made a tackle and when I fell I put my right arm out, which was more stretched than normal.

My shoulder dislocated and popped straight back in which meant it wasn’t as painful as it could have been.

Last year, I’d had a bit of an issue with the same shoulder – I’d tweaked it but not as bad as this.

It was advised that I had an operation on the shoulder which unfortunately put a stop to my loan spell. I was enjoying it at Carlisle and was getting games.

The damage to my shoulder was in the cartilage and ligaments and it meant little anchors made out of bone-like material were put in to bring it all together.

I had the operation in October in Wilmslow Hospital where I was looked after really well.

Afterwards I had to wear a sling for three weeks but almost straight away I back with PNE at Euxton to do some rehab work.

I got my mobility back quite quickly and didn’t need the sling after a little while, I just tended to wear it at home.

A big step forward was when I was okay to start running again.

I was given a six-week fitness programme and the running was no problem with the injury not having been one to my legs.

The next stage was a return to the football work and to start with, that was non-contact.

What I’d do was join in with the warm-up, or a passing drill or a possession box, things where we were just using the ball.

When the session moved on to where there was contact and tackling, I’d drop out and go and do some more running and fitness work.

I’ve been back in full training for a while now and last week, Preston officially recalled me from my loan at Carlisle.

That enabled me to travel with the squad to the FA Cup game at Wycombe where I made the bench.

Hopefully there will be some more opportunities here in the next few weeks.

What happens in the future, I’m not too sure yet. If there is a chance to play at Preston and get some minutes, I’d like to stay.

If not and the chance comes to go out on loan again, either to Carlisle or someone else, I’d take that and look to gain more experience.

Until my injury, the loan at Carlisle had gone really well.

It was within driving distance every morning and I got to know the motorway up there very well.

Jack Armer, who used to be here at Preston, had signed for Carlisle, so he was a familiar face there.

Knowing someone at a club makes settling in that much easier. Jack is a great lad who was always good with me at Preston.

Carlisle are flying at the moment, top of League Two, and they are a really good bunch of lads.

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