Fit-again Town striker David McGoldrick has provided an insight into the plight of an injured footballer, a role he has experienced more than he would have liked during his time at Portman Road.
McGoldrick was snapped up on a free transfer after his release by home city club Nottingham Forest in July 2013 following a successful loan spell the previous season and has scored a total of 34 goals in his 108 appearances — 83 starts and a further 25 as substitute — to date.
But four lengthy spells out injured have cost him dear, so much so that of Town’s last 86 games he has only been able to start 14 of them, and while some may disagree it could be argued that but for his absence the club might even have secured promotion to the Premier League.
McGoldrick was asked if it was hard to have complete confidence in his body after his latest spell on the sidelines and he responded: "I’ve learned from experience that you can’t be half-hearted when you get back to playing again.
"Once you cross the white line and the whistle blows you just play the game. Personally, I just forget about the injuries and get on with it.
"After I came on at half-time at Newcastle recently I went up for a header straight away and I landed okay with no reaction to my ankle, which was a nice boost.
"I did it at Colchester as well, when I was playing in the U23 game. I find I’m so tired when I’m on the pitch that I can forget about the injuries so it’s all good.
"Believe me, when it comes to doing things to prepare myself for returning to action, I’ve done them all.
"Every injury is different and you just have to get on with it. I’ve done gymnastics, yoga and I’ve been to a place in Rugby, a diving centre where you go under the water and get oxygen throughout your body.
"Injuries are just a part of football and a lot of us get them. I see Danny Ings at Liverpool has just come back and he’s done his knee again. I feel for him but as players we just have to take the rough with the smooth.”
According to McGoldrick the worst part of being injured, apart from the obvious one of not being able to participate, is having to take up the role of spectator to witness his colleagues in action.
He added: "When I’m out injured I have massive down days and sitting in the stands watching the boys on a Saturday is the hardest thing of all.
"I don’t really like it but we have to come to the games. The families can sit in the Sky box or you can sit in the directors’ box.
"It’s frustrating watching a game because when they’re not doing well you want to be out there helping them and you can even picture yourself scoring a goal.
"When they are doing well you want to be out there celebrating with them. It’s really hard to take but you’ve got to deal with it and you’ve got to be strong.
"You have to keep yourself occupied doing different things. You have to be strict to yourself with your diet, not going out with your friends and enjoying a drink, staying on top of it all. I’ve got good family around me, like my kids, and that keeps me occupied.
"When you’re first injured the manager gives you time at home and you don’t have to come in for a couple of weeks because there’s nothing you can do for yourself.
"Another thing about being injured is that everyone reports at the same time but come half-past 10, when the other lads go out to train, I walk down the corridor and go to the physio’s room.
"That’s hard to take but I’m grateful for where I am and what I’m doing in my career. I’ve been doing it for over 10 years now so I’m lucky.
"I’m a naturally confident lad and by that I don’t mean I’m cocky. I’m a believer in my own ability and I just think of the injuries I’ve had as being part and parcel of the game.
"Every time I get one all I think about is getting back and showing myself, not anyone else, how good a player I am. I believe if I do get a run of games that I will score goals. I’m not doubting that at all.
"But sometimes when I come in stiff in the morning I have to speak to the physios and just tell them I’m not going to train.
"I did that on Monday. They asked me how I was and I said ‘I’ll have a day off’ but it wasn’t really a day off because I stayed with the physios and did some rehab in the gym. I do things like that to limit my chances of getting injured again.”
McGoldrick was asked if lessons had been learned and if, in the event of a further setback at any point in the future, he would perhaps benefit from not remaining on the pitch and instead coming off, even if it was just a precautionary measure.
He laughed: "When I did my knee against Blackpool I stayed on until the end of the game, when I did my thigh against Rotherham I played an extra 60 minutes and when I got injured against Stevenage this season I played through to the end of the game. So I haven’t learned my lesson — but it’s just my nature.
"When I’m injured I don’t want to come off because I know I might have something that’s going to keep me out, so I want to try to play through it and give it every chance.
"I was striking balls after the Stevenage game and I was thinking ‘This might be alright’ but the following day it had swollen up and became more painful.
"It’s just one of those things — I want to play. I don’t know what the fans think but I don’t want to get injured. People might make fun of me and call me ‘Sicknote' because they think I’m always injured but I don’t want to be injured.
"I try to play through the pain — I did it at the weekend against Rotherham — because I want to play. I never want to be injured.”