Tottenham Hotspur winger Andros Townsend has opened up about his injury nightmare after finally returning to first-team action.
The England international played in the 3-3 pre-season draw with MLS outfit Seattle Sounders and came through the contest unscathed, to the relief of the club’s staff and supporters.
His superb early-season form in the 2013-14 campaign saw him elevated to senior Three Lions duty and his eye-catching performances in the World Cup qualifying campaign before Christmas put him on track for a place in the squad for this summer’s tournament.
However, his hopes of achieving a lifelong dream were dashed when he sustained a serious ankle injury which required surgery and a 10-week stint on the sidelines.
Instead he had to settle for travelling to south America as a pundit for ITV.
Reflecting on his comeback against Seattle, Townsend said on Twitter: “Feels good to be back on the pitch playing again – it has been a few months! #coys.”
Townsend was one of the biggest victims of the managerial overhaul at White Hart Lane last season.
After winning a place in head coach Andre Villas-Boas’ starting line-up at the beginning of the term he was relegated to the substitutes’ bench towards the end of the manager’s tenure.
The Portugese was sacked in December and replaced by Tim Sherwood, but Townsend struggled to win over his fellow Englishman and, just as he was closing in on a return, the injury struck.
Sherwood has since been replaced by Mauricio Pochettino.