Rakish Bingham has provided a fascinating insight on being sidelined for more than eight months after making his return to action last weekend.

The Ebbsfleet striker played the last half-hour of the FA Trophy exit to Bishop’s Stortford to mark his return from a ruptured Achilles.

He spoke about finding out the severity of his injury, the dark days of his recovery despite his positive outlook and the debt of gratitude Bingham feels he owes the National League club.

“It’s been a long, tough eight or so months,” admitted Bingham. “You feel like a little kid again playing football out there and helping the boys.

“It’s golden as all the hard work put in behind the scenes means it’s good to reap the rewards by getting back on the pitch.

“Being back out there is a great feeling and I can’t explain to you how happy I am inside. I’m very happy.”

Bingham was one of the leading lights of Ebbsfleet’s procession to the National League South title.

The talisman for the team in so many ways, he was enjoying some of the best football of his career until disaster struck at Slough in late March.

“I think my initial feeling was someone’s just given me a little kick and I’ll be all right and get back up, I don’t need a physio on,” recalled Bingham. “But the referee kept saying ‘are you sure you don’t need a physio?’ and I was a bit surprised at why he kept saying that.

“I asked the boys next to me ‘who tackled me?’ and they said ‘no one tackled you’ so the minute I heard that, I thought this was something quite serious.

“Katie Knowles (Sports Rehabilitator & Therapist) has been with me all the way, she told me in the dressing room when she ran the tests on me.

“She asked if I wanted the good or bad news and I think I knew straight away what the bad news was so I had my head in my hands and was distraught at that moment.

“I asked what area it was and she said Achilles and I knew ruptured Achilles is a minimum six months so I knew from that time it was going to be that.”

Bingham has been recovered from the injury for a number of weeks - eagle-eyed fans would have spotted him running before recent matches - but his return has been delayed by niggles picked up after a period of inactivity.

“When I first did it, I said to the gaffer that I was going to be back stronger and be back sooner than whatever date was set,” he said. “That’s just the type of character I am, I’m always optimistic but I’m realistic, too. I knew that if I put the work in, I’d reap the rewards.

“It could have been earlier than Saturday, but obviously not playing for a long period of time your muscles are not used to running so I picked up small little niggles along the way that were nothing to do with my Achilles.”

A natural grafter - “nothing is given to you in life” - there has also been the mental side for Bingham to contend with. His positive outlook helped in that regard, but that doesn’t mean there weren’t dark days along the way.

“It's tough,” admitted the engaging 30-year-old. “Life as a footballer looks easy when you’re out there but the minute something is taken away from you, and you’ve never had that before, it’s a challenge, mentally.

“It’s always down to the individual and naturally I’m quite a positive person so I kept speaking positively, kept being optimistic and I knew with that mindset that my body would follow and I would definitely overcome it.

“The dark days really are dark but you think to yourself that there are a lot of people really worse off. I’ve had an injury that’s stopped me from doing what I love but there’s people that have had an injury that’s stopped them getting through life in a normal way, if you get what I mean.

“There’s people who are worse off and less fortunate. I always think to myself to be grateful and show gratitude and I remained humble throughout the process, this is what I had to do and I just stayed positive. I was grateful just to get surgery and recover in a healthy way, without there being any re-surgery. I was blessed and happy, and just cracked on with it.”

There were no surprises that Bingham was given a new contract in the summer, although he didn’t take that for granted.

“Credit to this club, it’s been nothing but great to me - the gaffer, chief executive Damian Irvine, the fans, everyone behind the scenes,” he said. “I’ve got good relationships with everyone. I’ve not got one bad relationship with anyone here, including the fans.

“I want to say thank you for sticking by me, it could have been the other way around, they could have thought his time is up and he might not be back the same, and not taken the gamble on me. But the fact they’ve put that faith in me makes me want to pay it even more on the pitch.

“That did feel me with importance and it let me know I was someone who they trust and have faith in.”

It’s hard to single anyone out but Knowles has been by Bingham’s side throughout the process. Like most clubs, a physio often goes unnoticed but Bingham was grateful for her support.

“Katie has been here since day one, I’ve seen her throughout other people’s injuries, too,” said Bingham. “She’s there behind the scenes and no one really sees what she does but in terms of a support, she wants the best for you and is there in the dark times.

“I’ve had chats with her when my head has been a bit low, and when her head has been a bit low I’ve been there for her. I want to say thank you to her, not just her, there’s other people - Tom Stephens, Joshaan Gowrea, the physio last year - I could reel off a list of names.”

But for now, Bingham’s focus is fully on Ebbsfleet’s survival. He returns to action with the team in the relegation zone, and a tough run of fixtures over the festive period may not brighten the mood.

As is his way, Bingham is determined to lead from the front.

“We all want to be successful so we’ve got to roll our sleeves up and go for it,” he responded.

“Our season took a turn, we picked up a couple of bad results, got a few more injuries and things started to seem like they were going against us.

“But, like with anything in life, if things are going against you, you’ve got to pick yourself up and work harder. That’s where we’re at and we understand it. It’s not going to be easy.

“We’ve made some new additions recently and they’ve all helped the team. I feel positive and I’m looking forward to what is to come. The second half of the season will be better than the first.”