Stressful injury period is over for Chesterfield FC midfielder

The attacking midfielder twice damaged the same ankle early in the season and suffered setbacks en route to full fitness.  He spent almost five months out of action before returning, off the bench, in Saturday’s defeat by Harrogate.

“It’s been a long time coming,” he said. “It’s been a bit of a stressful period for me so I was over the moon to get back, I was buzzing.

“The fans gave me a nice reception, it was a good feeling.”

Carter should have only sat out around 12 weeks of football the second time he injured the ankle, but surgery and a subsequent infection kept him sidelined for a lot longer.

The support of fellow injury victims Sam Wedgbury and Laurence Maguire helped Carter to remain positive.

“I think it’s a lot to do with the other players around you. The squad, the staff keep you going. At first I was in there with Sam Wedgbury quite a lot.  He’s a great character, he was always picking me up, telling me I was going to be back soon, to keep pushing and pushing. A bit further down the line Loz was in with me.

“It’s good when you have another person there with you that you train with, you’re getting back at similar times, you can do the running together, the gym work together.

“The players around you definitely help. You’ve got to keep each other’s spirits high.”

A lot has changed since Carter re injured his ankle at Maidstone on 29th September.

Martin Allen, who signed him, has gone. Carter’s task now is to show John Sheridan why the club bought him from Woking last summer.

The goal he scored in the midweek win at Barnet will certainly help.

“I came in under a different manager, now I’m coming back trying to impress another manager.

“Keeping the ball and taking care of it is something I pride myself in, I think I’m good technically on the ball and hopefully I can prove that to the gaffer."