Mansfield Town striker Rhys Oates so happy to be back after injury nightmare

Oates wrecked his knee in the New Year's Day win at Stockport County and has been battling for fitness ever since.

But he travelled with the squad to Wycombe for the unlucky late 1-0 defeat last Tuesday and then was an unused sub in Saturday's 1-0 FA Cup win at Stevenage.

“It felt amazing. It's been a long, tough 11 months so it's great to be back out there in the squad with the lads,” he beamed.

“Even Tuesday night just going down to Wycombe with the boys and doing the warm-up with them felt so good to be back involved.

“I feel good. It's been a long trip of mentally challenging times.

“It's been hard work in the gym every day five days a week and then back on the grass for four or five months watching the lads training and just running alongside them.

“You just have to get through it and to see how well the lads have been doing spurs you on even more to get back involved.”

Recalling the challenge that snapped two of his main knee ligaments, he said: “I closed the keeper down and tried to block the ball and just landed funny and it hyper-extended my leg.

“I didn't think it was too serious at first. It was a bit sore and when I tried to stretch it didn't feel right.

“Then we got the scan results which said it was my ACL and my LCL - it was a bad one.

“I had done my LCL on my other leg before and it was a similar pain. But I didn't think it was my ACL until Tom (head physio Whittamore) started doing the tests for it.

“I got the swelling down quickly and had the operation within two weeks. I had to have my LCL reattached and they also took part of my patella tendon and rebuilt my ACL with that.

“I was in a brace for six weeks, non-weight bearing, so that was tough sitting at home every day and not able to do much parenting with a seven week baby at home when I first did it. Then it was six weeks in a brace.

“But they have done a good job. They have repaired it well and there's not too much scar tissue now.”

With Elliott Hewitt and Alfie Kilgour also out with long term injuries, at least Oates did not have to face all his recovery on his own.

“This has been the biggest challenge to date in my career by far,” he said.

“I have had a tough two years with injuries.

“The longest I had ever been out before was three months. So for it to be 11 months it's been very tough mentally.

“But I have got through it with the lads behind me pushing me all the way and the support from the family and club.

“It has helped with Elliott and Alfie, especially with Elliott doing the same thing.

“We were able to bounce off each other and keep supporting each other to keep each other positive.

“If I had been in the gym every day on my own with no other players it could have become a dark place.

“I feel stronger than ever. I've been doing leg weights five times a week for the past seven or eight months so it feels as strong as it possibly can.

“I have had a ball whacked at the knee and it was fine and I have fallen on it a couple of times and it feels stronger than ever.”

While Oates has been recovering, the side secured promotion and then made a fine start to life in League One.

“It has been a great start to the season,” he said.

“The boys were flying at first. And we didn't deserve to lose those three games on the bounce – luck wasn't on our side.

“I have been watching the games and seeing where I could potentially make a difference or slot into the team and affect games.

“It is exciting and I hope I can get back on the pitch soon and start enjoying my football again. Hopefully the goals and assists will come then.”

Oates received a warm welcome back from fans and said: “The fans have been class since I signed here. They have been amazing.

“I found out I was to be involved at Stevenage on Friday when the squad list went in.

“It was exciting knowing I was travelling down with the lads on Friday and spending overnight with them and back on the bus. It's good to be back in that environment.

“I expected another week of full contact training, so it was a bit of a surprise.

“But with Lee Gregory picking up a bit of a knock it may have propelled me forward a few days. And it helped you can have nine on the bench for the FA Cup.

“But, not having played for 11 months, it would have been a risk putting me on if we'd conceded and gone to extra time and I had ended up playing more minutes than I should have done.”​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​