Oli Arblaster's emotional Sheffield United moment laid bare as next steps highlighted for promising midfielder
Oli Arblaster scored his first Sheffield United goal in more than two years to seal a vital win over Bristol City, with Chris Wilder explaining why the midfielder's comeback is about more than simply returning to action.
When the ball rocketed off his right boot and settled in the bottom corner of the Bristol City net, one can only imagine the range of emotions racing through the mind of Oli Arblaster. It was his first Sheffield United goal in more than two years.
It proved the winner, too, as the Blades travelled back north with a huge three points but also proved a valuable milestone in Arblaster’s personal journey as well. Much of that two-year goalless spell was spent on the sidelines after a devastating ACL injury.
In between there were tears and fears over his career, endless hours of rehab and time in the gym watching his mates doing what he wanted to do, at the time, more than anything else in the world.
So it was impossible not to smile at the post-match scenes as the boyhood Blade was pushed forward to soak up the acclaim from the travelling Unitedites at full-time.
“We were talking about it with the doctor,” boss Chris Wilder said of Arblaster afterwards. “And we’re talking about one of the top specialist knee surgeons in the country.
“There’s a return to training first and it’s great when you tick that off, players coming back after over a year out. Then they talk about return to playing. And there's return to form as well.
“Consistent form. It has been a little bit of an up-and-down struggle for him. But when top knee surgeons, who do the top players, are talking like that, you've got to listen and take note.
“So hopefully this will give him a load of confidence. I thought he was outstanding with Kalvin in the middle of the park. Kalvin going through 90-odd minutes, as well, was big for him.
“We all know where Oli has been, and where he can get. Where he was placed alongside the best young midfield players in the country, what happened in the first disappointing period in his career with the injury, and getting back up to form. So that'll be great for him.”
After being sidelined with the devastating injury the 22-year-old had to watch friend and fellow academy product Sydie Peck establish himself in the Blades’ starting XI.
But he got the nod to start over his young teammate at Ashton Gate and justified the call with the sumptuous volley early on which helped the Blades claim a big three points.
“There is literally no better feeling than scoring,” he admitted afterwards. “I can't even describe how good it feels when you see the ball hit the back of the net.
“With the amount of Blades fans that had travelled down, it would have been nicer if it was at that end but it was such a good feeling. When I came off in the 78th minute, me and Mark McGuinness, I sat in the changing room the whole time.
“I couldn't watch, so I sat in there. But the boys hung on and got the three points, which are a massive three points for us.”