Jack Stafford | I could not walk or pass a ball, I wondered what I was going to do next

When Jack Stafford joined Swansea City in February 2022 he was filled with excitement at a big opportunity, little could he have known that he would cruelly soon be facing a gruelling 538-day injury rehabilitation that left him unable to walk or pass a ball, and fearing his fledgling career could be over.

When Stafford was introduced from the bench in the under-21s’ Professional Development League draw with Watford earlier this month, it was his first time playing competitive football since April 2022.

That was when he suffered the significant knee injury that would start a painful period of 18 months on the sidelines.

The defender was welcomed onto the pitch with a round of applause from his teammates, coaching and medical staff, and his family.

Understandably it was an emotional moment, given what Stafford has been through, as he outlines in excruciating detail.

“It’s been a long time coming, and it’s been a very long time since I last played. It was definitely good to get back out there, it was quite emotional to be honest," said Stafford. 

“Now, I need to turn my attention to building up those minutes and sharpness to get back to a level that I’m happy with.

“I did my lateral collateral ligament (LCL). That was completely ruptured, and my hamstring had come completely off the bone.

“I injured the Posterolateral Corner (PCL), which is an injury that affects the back of your knee. So, I basically had my whole knee re-constructed.

“I had surgery when I first injured my knee, to kind of re-attach everything. My hamstring was grafted to re-attach the LCL. 

“The biceps femoris in my hamstring was re-attached with a screw. I wasn’t allowed to walk on it or put any kind of pressure on it for three months. 

“I lost all my muscle mass in my leg. So, to come back from not being able to walk is incredible. And that’s why it took even longer to return, because I had to rebuild all my muscle that I had lost.  

“It’s almost been a process of learning everything again. I felt like I was starting from the beginning, really."

Stafford had only arrived in SA1 two months prior to his injury, and instead of being the start of what should have been a memorable period in the then 20-year-old's career, he was soon questioning whether he would play football again. 

It proved a big blow in terms of his progression as an athlete, but, in time, it was a period that allowed him to develop both his body and mind.

After such a traumatic injury, the Exeter City academy product has shown incredible determination and spirit to return to action. He also believes he has come back a different person from the one who was taken off at Landore Training Ground.

“One thing that’s helped is having the players around me, my family, my girlfriend, the coaches and even more so Jordan Beech [[head of academy sports science and medicine]," added Stafford.

“Originally, I got injured the day after Tiv [Tivonge Rushesha] did. We were in recovery together; he did his anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) and did nine or 10 months of rehab. 

“I’ve been in recovery by myself for a little bit now. But I definitely think I’ve kept it together all this time. I don’t think there’s really been a day where I've felt down or struggled. I’ve had great support from the club. 

“There’s definitely been times, though, where I’ve thought ‘where am I going to go from here?’ 

“When I first got back on the grass, I couldn’t pass the ball, really. My legs just wouldn’t allow me to do it without pain.  

“But, everyone just gets around you and supports you, I couldn’t have asked for better support from everyone.  

“At first, it was quite a weird one, to sit on the sidelines watching the boys. I was finding it difficult to accept that I was injured. 

“I wasn’t expecting it to be 18 months. Over time, I began to accept it for what it was and how it was, the whole period definitely changed me as a person. 

“I learnt to only look forward, and that helped me massively. I kind of took my rehab in building blocks."

In January 2023, Jack took a significant step in his recovery. He began running again, feeling the grass under his feet for the first time in nine months

With rehab going well, Stafford was edging ever closer to returning to football. However, he suffered another setback in May, costing him another six weeks on the sidelines. 

“The first eight months of recovery were all spent inside, just trying to build my leg back up in the gym," he said.

“Then, in January of this year, I got back onto the training pitch. I had another setback in May when I tore my quad, and that pushed me back another six weeks. 

“At the start of pre-season, I started to get back out on the pitch again and then I was back in sessions not so long ago. 

“It’s been a gradual process since then, and now I feel I'm getting back to a level I've been aiming for, there's still a long way to go, but it's the right step."

Head of academy physiotherapy Jordan Beech praised Stafford's determination, and acknowledged it was an emotional moment to witness the centre-half take to the pitch again.

"Jack has missed so much time with this injury, from surgery to playing in the Watford game was over 17 months. It’s definitely the longest rehab I have ever worked with, but testament to Jack, he’s worked so hard throughout the whole journey," said Beech. 

"I think the way he has dealt with the whole situation has been excellent and he’s become a real leader within the group in my opinion. 

"It was actually quite emotional seeing him step foot back on the pitch again in a competitive game - it was a proud moment for him, and for us.”