After beginning the year unable to even go to the toilet on his own due to a broken leg, Cameron McGeehan is hoping to finish it by establishing himself in Barnsley's midfield.
The 22-year-old suffered the serious injury on January 2 while playing for Luton against Portsmouth in League Two. Barnsley still bought him after the season finished and have helped him complete his rehabilitation. He made his Reds debut as a substitute in Tuesday's 3-2 success over Derby in which Adam Hammill scored a late winner.
McGeehan said: "In the first few weeks after breaking my leg it was 'can I just go to the toilet by myself?' Because my mum and dad were helping me. Then it was walking with a crutch, then it was just walking normally, then it was ticking off each little bit. Then you get there and eventually it comes. At some points you think it's not going to happen and it's too painful but you know people have been injured before and come back, especially with modern science.
"I felt back to my best in the last couple of weeks and it's a great feeling to finally be playing a first team game and to get that winning feeling. I thought I would get an extra 30 minutes with the extra-time but I think Ads saved everyone there by scoring the winner. It was a great win to be involved in. Now I want to focus on starting a game and getting some minutes under my belt."
McGeehan scored in a famous League Cup shock win last season for League Two Luton against Aston Villa, who visit Oakwell tomorrow. He said: "That was probably one of Luton's best performances as a team. It got my goal tally going for last season. If I am called upon this time hopefully I can replicate that. Both matches were on Sky and both big games."