Harrogate Town's Will Smith praised for his professionalism and attitude on long road to recovery

The 24-year-old defender was deemed fit enough to take his place on the Sulphurites’ substitutes’ bench for Saturday’s 1-1 draw with Stevenage, the first time he has been named in a match-day squad in nearly nine months.

Barnsley academy product Smith ruptured his anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) during Town’s 3-0 Easter Monday defeat at Northampton, an injury described by Weaver at the time as “about as bad as it gets.”

Speaking in December, the Harrogate chief said he didn’t expect Smith to be in contention to play again any earlier than the end of January, but Weaver has revealed that his player has worked harder than anyone he’s ever seen during his rehabilitation period in a bid to get back as soon as possible.

"Will Smith had his best training session yet [last] Tuesday, we knew he was getting close,” Weaver told the Harrogate Advertiser.

"It was great to have him back on Saturday, but quite unexpected. He still probably needs another week’s training because when a player has been out for nine months they need to build those confidence levels up. With the kind of injury he has had it’s about more than just getting fit again, it’s a mental challenge as well.

"It’s been a case of taking it step by step, but I honestly don’t think I have come across a better professional in terms of his attitude and determination during a period of rehab.

"He’s been so positive in his outlook during what can be a really difficult period for a player when they are out for such a length of time.

"He has been the first one in at training every day, in early putting the work in. I’d get to the training ground and Will’s car would already be there, in the same parking space every time.”

Town’s head physiotherapist Rachel McGeachie explained that Smith has benefited from being able to attend week-long residential rehabilitation sessions at St George’s Park, headquarters of England’s national teams.

Provided by the Professional Footballers’ Association, stints at the £105million facility in Staffordshire enable injured players to access treatment and technology that they might otherwise not be able to benefit from.

"Will has had two stints at St George’s Park, the most recent of which was in mid-December and they’ve been massively beneficial to him,” McGeachie explained.

"There’s always a waiting list for places, so we only ever send our long-term injured, but they have cryo chambers there, different testing devices and technology, some great facilities.

"The other big benefit is that it’s something different, a change of scenery and some new faces for a player during what can be a really tough time when you’re recovering from such a serious injury.

"We usually say nine months when we are talking about an ACL, but in reality, it can be closer to a year when it comes to being match-ready and then getting match-fit.

"Going to the gym and doing your rehab on your own six times per week for months on end is really hard for these lads, so the opportunity to do something like this is always welcomed by both players and us as medical staff.”

Smith remained an unused substitute on Saturday as Luke Armstrong’s 77th-minute header earned Town a share of the spoils against title-chasing Boro.