Harrogate Town's ex-Southampton FC defender Kayne Ramsay opens up on tough time out with serious facial injury

The 22-year-old former Southampton defender was not expected to be able to play again this season having fractured an eye socket, cheekbone and his jaw and also broken his nose during the Sulphurites’ 1-0 win at Carlisle United in early February.

As a result, he had to undergo facial surgery, and with an anticipated 12-week recovery period ahead of him, the ex-Premier League star wasn’t expected to have much chance of resuming contact training before the 2022/23 campaign drew to a close earlier this week.

But, having made a brief cameo at Mansfield in Town’s penultimate game of the season, Ramsay got more than half-an-hour off the substitutes bench during Bank Holiday Monday’s 1-1 home draw with Rochdale.

“I came back sooner than I thought I would be able to come back, but it has been a really tough few months for me,” he told the Harrogate Advertiser.

"It was very difficult coming back from an injury that left me in a lot of pain. I had about two months where I was just at home and couldn’t really move. I was just in bed, I couldn’t do very much.

"I watched every game and stayed in contact with all the lads, but it was tough. I didn’t even want to go home to London and be with my family because my face was in so much pain, so I just stayed in Leeds and had to just work on myself and getting through it.

"So, it’s really good to be back out there playing.”

On his return to competitive action, Ramsay added: “I came on at right-wing at Mansfield and was a bit confused, but it was just nice to be back.

"Against Rochdale, to get a few more minutes to help me start getting ready for next season so I can go again, was even better.

"Left-back isn’t my usual position, is it, but football is football, you have just got to enjoy it.”

Ramsay’s two recent substitute appearances mean that he finishes his first season with Town having played 30 times in all competitions.