The New Saints’ Leo Smith didn’t initially concern the worst when he went down injured in a Champions League qualifier almost 12 months in the past.
The midfielder suffered the harm simply earlier than half-time in his facet’s sport in opposition to Shkendija in July 2025 and needed to be taken off on a stretcher.
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Because it turned out, that marked the beginning of an extended spell on the sidelines.
“Because it occurred, it was an odd feeling,” Smith advised BBC Sport Wales.
“I could not actually straighten my leg, and I believed it may have been one thing like a nerve down my hamstring.
“However then clearly behind my head I did have the worst considered it being my knee as effectively.
“However after about 5 minutes, I felt like I may stroll. I felt like I may stick with it, however clearly the physios knew it wasn’t fairly proper.”
TNS boss Craig Harrison instantly and a scan the next day confirmed “the worst doable consequence” for the previous Wrexham participant – an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) harm.
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Smith, 28, acknowledges the assist of the membership in addition to that of his household throughout his restoration from what he calls his “first correct harm”.
“I used to be coming into my ultimate 12 months on my contract as effectively, so stuff like that would have an effect on my profession right here at this membership,” Smith added.
“However I am lucky that the membership clearly know the way exhausting I’ve labored and the way a lot I am valued right here as a result of I used to be given a brand new contract.
“I can not change what’s occurred.
“I had the perfect assist from my household, my spouse and my children as effectively, so that is what saved me going.”
Leo Smith is consoled by New Saints team-mates as he’s helped off throughout the Champions League qualifier in opposition to Shkendija at Park Corridor in July 2025 [FAW]
Inside six months of the Shkendija sport, Smith was again in full coaching.
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“With an harm like this it will probably take double the period of time,” he stated.
“I can say I am fairly pleased with myself for the exhausting work I’ve put in. It has been one thing I can look again on and know what I have been via.
“Now it is simply constructing, conserving robust and ensuring I am fitter than I used to be and stronger than I used to be.”
Smith returned to motion for Saints’ under-19 facet in February and made his first-team comeback throughout the ultimate weeks of final season’s league marketing campaign.
Saints had already secured the Cymru Premier title by then to guide their place on this summer season’s Champions League qualifiers.
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Smith and his team-mates resumed coaching in mid-Could in preparation for the upcoming European marketing campaign.
“It has been a variety of exhausting work, double periods and stuff,” Smith added.
“The lads have labored exhausting and we’re wanting match and we’re wanting robust.”
TNS’ European marketing campaign begins with a primary qualifying spherical tie in opposition to Sabah of Azerbaijan.
The primary leg is in Baku on Tuesday, 7 July, with the return fixture at Park Corridor every week later.
“We’re hoping to get a constructive outcome on the market to convey it dwelling for us,” Smith stated.
“As a result of I do know if we play right here we’ll create a variety of probabilities right here, and we usually do rating each sport.”
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Smith was a key participant when Saints turned the primary membership from Wales’ home leagues to play the group phases of a European competitors in 2024.
TNS confronted opposition together with and Panathinaikos within the Uefa Convention League and beat Kazakhstan’s Astana.
“I feel it will imply much more this time,” he added.
“The primary time you create historical past, however you wish to create historical past once more by being the membership that is in a position to do it once more and never simply the one time.”