Ryan Nelsen is ready to help Blackburn's push for Europe after fearing his season was over.
The Rovers captain returns for the Premier League clash with Reading at the Madejski Stadium after 10 weeks on the sidelines.
After playing through the pain barrier for the majority of the first half of the campaign, Nelsen finally listened to what his body was screaming at him.
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His problem stemmed from an operation he required in the summer of 2006 to reattach a hamstring tendon that had been torn off the bone.
The New Zealand centre-back spent six months on the sidelines in rehabilitation before eventually returning in January 2007.
However, a year later, Nelsen decided he could no longer continue as the pain he was feeling was badly affecting his performances.
It took what he describes as "a few medical heads" to diagnose the problem - quite simply he had returned too soon and not adequately strengthened the muscles around the tendon.
"I'm my own worst enemy because after the operation I just wanted to run and train, but I did so far too early and it really cost me," remarked Nelsen.
"I knew something was wrong because I was playing horrendously.
"I just didn't have my explosiveness and the speed I normally have. It just wasn't there, which was extremely frustrating.
"But in wanting to put it right I'd get out there and train and play, but by doing that I was hurting myself even more.
"It reached the point that even when I was walking it was hurting, so I had to put my hand up and say 'this is getting ridiculous'.
"Quite a few medical heads then got together, I had scans, and when a surgeon saw it he told me get off it for four weeks.
"I was basically playing on a tendon I shouldn't have even been walking on.
"My hamstring was pathetic and the tendon was taking all the tension. I was trying to do things when it couldn't handle it.
"At the time, when the surgeon told me how bad it was, I thought I could be out for the season.
"But I got my head down, headed to the weight room to get the muscle strong, and the stronger it has become the less pain I've felt, which seems so simple looking back.
"So I made sure I was comfortable with my strength and that I could handle it before I started to run again.
"Now my lungs are spitting up some cobwebs, but at least the injury is okay."
Nelsen is hoping he has avoided the prospect of further surgery, although he appreciates he is always going to feel "niggles here and there".
"It's a rare injury, one that could rear its ugly head again," added the 30-year-old.
"But I've come through some really hard training these past few days, and it's felt good, so I'm quite happy.
"Obviously when I play, I just have to completely blank it out.
If it's going to go, then it will go.
"But I'm quite lucky because if it (the tendon) was going to snap again and fall off, it would have done because it has had the perfect opportunity to do so.
"But it hasn't. It's still intact, it's still really good, so that has given me confidence."
With Christopher Samba suspended, Nelsen looks certain to face the Royals and so play his part in the end-of-season push for a place in next term's UEFA Cup.
"I'm glad to be back helping the boys out for the last seven games when I thought it would be curtains for the season," added Nelsen.
"As long as I'm involved and contributing, then that will be good enough for me.
"We're in a decent position, and if Europe comes along at the end of the season, then brilliant."
Leading scorer Roque Santa Cruz is a doubt with an ankle injury, while Brett Emerton will undergo a late fitness test on a groin strain.
Johann Vogel could finally figure after receiving international clearance this week.
A GUARANTEED PROFIT OF AT LEAST £36.50 ON SOUTHEND v DONCASTER
Did you know that it is possible to win money on Friday evening's League One Play-Off clash between Southend and Doncaster, whatever the result?
The game kicks off at 7.45pm and we can guarantee you a profit of at least £36.50, whatever the result of the match. All you have to do is follow the simple instructions below and then sit back and enjoy the game. At full-time, you will be at least £36.50 better off, whatever the result of the match.
We must point out that if you want to take this bet, you should do it now because if the odds change, then the figures here will be invalidated. If they have changed, let us know and we will rework the bet for you.
You can still do this if you have a Betfair account but your overall profit will be reduced by £25.00 as you won't receive the £25.00 cashback as an existing account holder.
If you are unsure about this bet, you are most welcome to call us on 01642 223229 and we will help you as much as we can.
We're going to lay out a total of £71.00 on the Southend v Doncaster match and we will collect £107.50 if Doncaster win, £107.50 if Southend win and £107.81 if it's a draw. That's a minimum profit of 51%, a much higher interest rate than you will get in any high street bank.
Here's how it's done. Just follow these simple instructions.
1. Open an account with Coral. It is really important that you enter the bonus code of CORALTD when prompted. This is to ensure that you receive your bonus.
Open an account with Betfair. It is really important that you enter the promotional code of BFB425 when prompted. This is to ensure that you receive your bonus.
Place £20.00 on Doncaster at 2.75 (7/4) with Coral.
Coral will now add a £10.00 bonus to your account. Place this on Doncaster as well. You will now have £30.00 riding on Doncaster.
Back the draw with £26.00 at 3.3 (9/4) (or higher if available) with Betfair.
Place £25.00 on Southend at 2.15 (23/20) with Extrabet.
Extrabet match your first bet up to £25 so you will now have £50.00 riding on Southend.
The £25.00 matched bet will not show in your account but you can read all about how it works on the Extrabet site. It's the purple box that says '£25 FREE BET FOR NEW CUSTOMERS' on the top right hand side. Click here to visit the Extrabet site.
If you are unsure about placing these bets, please feel free to mail us or call us on 01642 223229 and we will talk you through it, no problem at all. There is no such thing as a stupid question.
You have temporarily laid out a total of £71.00 on the Southend v Doncaster match. I stress, temporarily... Now sit back, crack a beer open and enjoy the match.
4. Here's what happens at the end of the game.
If Doncaster win, you collect £107.50. That's £82.50 from Coral plus a £25.00 cashback from Betfair.
If it's a draw, you collect £107.81. That's £82.81 from Betfair plus a £25.00 cashback from Betfair.
If Southend win you collect £107.50. That's £82.50 from Extrabet plus a £25.00 cashback from Betfair.
5. This means that the worst case scenario on the Southend v Doncaster match is no draw and you make £36.50 profit. However, if it is a draw you make £36.81. That's a minimum profit of 51%, a much better rate of interest that you would get at any high street bank or building society.
6. It is absolutely vital that you click on the links on this page to open the accounts with the two bookies and enter the correct bonus codes or you may not qualify for the bonuses.
Also, before you place your bets, you should check that the odds haven't changed. If they have, let us know by mail or phone us on 01642 223229 and we will rework the bet for you.
Please feel free to contact us or phone us on 01642 223229 if you have any questions at all about this bet and we will help you as much as we can.
Please note that the bonuses are valid for new customers only so if you already have an account with one or more of the bookies we are using, you won't be able to do this. If that is the case, mail us or phone us on 01642 223229 and we'll create an alternative bet for you using different bookies.
This method of betting was used very successfully during the 2006 World Cup and you can read all about how it was done right here.
We guarantee this bet
It's understandable that some people will not believe that it is possible to do this. "What's the catch?" I hear you asking. My answer to that question is that we have been publishing arbitrage bets for four seasons now and literally hundreds of people have profited from following the advice on these pages.
Only twice has our refund guarantee been triggered and that was when we did all the figures wrong and sent refunds out to those who had followed our advice and made a small loss.
Our refund guarantee works like this. If this bet doesn't work like we say it will and you end up out of pocket, we will refund your losses. Simple as that.
That means that you simply cannot lose on this, whatever happens and even if we messed up the numbers.
The only stipulation here is that you must click on the links on this page to be eligible for the refund guarantee, not that you'll be needing to claim anyway. Just enjoy the profit and stay posted for many more of these throughout the season.
