Ryan Fredericks is looking forward to ‘being a footballer again’ after making a successful return from injury this week.
The right-back was back in action for the first time since injuring his shin at Huddersfield Town in November in a behind-closed-doors friendly at Gillingham on Tuesday afternoon.
Fredericks played for a pre-planned 45 minutes at Priestfield Stadium before being replaced at half-time and was delighted to have swapped the treatment room for the pitch after a frustrating ten weeks on the sidelines.
“It was good to be back,” said the No24, who joined West Ham United from Fulham last summer. “Obviously, I’m still rusty and it’s going to take a while to get back to the form I’d want to be in, but the main thing is the leg felt good and I can go back to being a footballer again instead of feeling like a personal trainer always in the gym!
“It’s been nice to be back in training with the lads too, instead of coming in at different times and hardly seeing anyone.”
I can go back to being a footballer again instead of feeling like a personal trainer always in the gym!
Ryan Fredericks
Fredericks will continue to work his way back to match-fitness with Manuel Pellegrini’s squad, with the ultimate aim of returning to Premier League duty in the not-too-distant future.
Tuesday’s game saw a young Hammers team come from a goal down to edge the Gills 2-1 courtesy of second-half goals scored by winger Dan Kemp and striker Jahmal Hector-Ingram, the latter coming from the penalty spot.
Alongside Fredericks, Kemp and Hector-Ingram, the Irons were captained by Conor Coventry, while winger Nathan Holland and defender Reece Oxford continued their own returns from injury by each playing for 73 minutes.
West Ham United XI: Anang, Fredericks (Barrett 46), Oxford (Okotcha 73), Park, Johnson, Coventry ©, Lewis (Scully 81), Ngakia (Chesters 81), Kemp, Holland (Rosa 73), Hector-Ingram
Sub not used: Harness (GK)