Danny Jackman prepares to make his return as a substitute against Crewe

by Luke Cawdell

Danny Jackman bucked the trend last weekend after ending a three-month absence through injury.

With 13 players injured or suspended, it was a welcome sight to see the 27-year-old Gillingham midfielder back against Crewe.

Jackman said: "It was a bit of a shock to play having had just a week of training since the second week in August, but because we were lacking in numbers the gaffer put me on the bench.

"I didn’t expect to get on to the pitch but the manager stuck me on. Unfortunately as I was waiting to come on we conceded the third and by then it was all over. On a personal note it was nice to be back."

Last season Jackman missed four months with a shoulder injury, but he’s hoping his bad luck is at an end.

He said: "Before I came back to the club I hadn’t had a long-term injury. Since then I’ve had a shoulder injury, then my knee and then the ankle.

"Hopefully the injuries have worked their way down my body now and that’s it."

Jackman encountered problems behind the knee but after recovering he picked up an ankle injury in his first training session back.

"We were playing a young versus old game and a lad did my ankle," he said. "I was just in the wrong place at the wrong time."

Saturday was his first appearance in the Football League’s basement division and he’s as keen as anyone to make the visit short-lived.

"On paper it should be easy to get out of this division, but it’s a learning curve for us all," he said. "The fans are impatient as we came down last season and they want to go straight back up. We are the same."