JACK BUTLAND feared his career could have been finished by his ankle injury.
The 24-year-old Stoke keeper revealed repeated setbacks sent him to some dark places as he wondered if he’d ever get back.
Butland spoke candidly about his injury horror as he celebrated his recall to the England squad.
It was playing for England in Germany in March last year that he fractured his ankle and ended up being out for over a year.
Butland required surgery after the freak accident but then broke down again on the eve of the season.
He then required further surgery to repair scar tissue just before Christmas and didn’t return to the Stoke side until the final five games of the season.
He said: “Being out for so long makes you stronger but sometimes you reach your lowest point.
“There are times when you don’t know if you are going to play again, when the next injection or operation might be.
“So there are times when you are at rock bottom but that’s when you need the people around you to give you that bit of reassurance and positivity.
“I feel like I’ve pretty much experienced everything I can in football. Positive things, winning, losing, the injury side of it all the setbacks, so yeah.
Butland is just enjoying being back after the heartache of so long on the sidelines.
He said: “It feels extremely, extremely good to be back. It’s been a long time and to get the Three Lions back on my chest after some difficult times is really good.
“I’m just thoroughly enjoying being back and looking forward to the week ahead.
“You miss being out there with your team-mates and just experiencing the highs and the lows. It was the drive and belief of wanting to get back to where I was that kept me going.