Wigan Athletic guest column: Michael Jacobs

I’m back on the grass with the boys and running, although there’s a still a couple of weeks to go.

When I first did it back at Preston in October, it didn’t feel so bad.

But the the scan showed I’d ruptured a tendon, which was obviously a hammer blow.

I wasn’t expecting anything like that, and it was so frustrating.

But the operation went fine, the recovery’s gone well and I’m almost back to where I want to be.

The prognosis was the first couple of weeks in January, and I think we’re still on course for that

With a hamstring injury, it’s obviously important not to rush it, and we still need to build it up a little bit before I’m ready.

Playing as a winger it’s even more of a danger, with the sprinting and twisting and turning, so we won’t be taking any risks.

I’m possibly looking at the game at Sheffield Wednesday (on January 19), which would be a good one for me.

I was lucky enough to get a couple of goals against them on the opening day of the season – it would be nice to play them every week!

Seeing Gavin Massey get back into first-team contention has also given me a real lift.

Hopefully I can follow him back into the squad before too long.

It’s just been nice to have someone in the treatment room with you to bounce off.

Powelly’s been in with me the last couple of weeks and that’s helped us both as well.

We’ve also had Chey, Griggy, Antonee in there at one time or another, and it’s underlined what a bad run with injuries we’ve had.

When you’re in there long-term, you get used to people coming in and out.

You just try and help each other as best you can, and keep each other’s spirits up through the bad days.

This is actually the first time I’ve had an operation in my career, which is some going if you think about it.

It took me a while to process what had happened, and how long I’d be out.

I’d done my hamstring before but never like this, never requiring surgery.

We were all at a bit of a loss how it was so bad, and I hadn’t felt it go, but it is what it is.

All you can do is try and stay positive, work as hard as you can behind the scenes and try and get back as soon as possible.

Injuries are part and parcel of being a footballer, you accept that’s going to happen, but that’s behind me now.