‘It’s a nice feeling to be back, doing what I love’ – Kit Graham

Saturday afternoon was a long time coming for Kit Graham.

Making a late cameo in our thrilling 4-3 pre-season win over Arsenal, Kit brought to the end 358 painful days of being sidelined with injury.

Having suffered an anterior cruciate ligament injury (ACL) in pre-season last year, after almost 12 months of rehabilitation and recovery, our number 16 finally returned to a matchday squad as we faced the test of the Gunners.

And, as we entered the final 20 minutes of the contest, that even sweeter moment came for the 29-year-old as she was called on from the bench to replace Matilda Vinberg and mark her return from injury.

Given a great reception from her team-mates and our staff as she ran back onto the pitch after nearly a year out, Kit beamed when she spoke to SPURSPLAY at full-time as she reflected on the relief of being back in action.

“It’s been a long time coming,” she told us. “I’ve felt ready for a little while now, so it was a nice feeling to actually get back out there and do what I love doing.

“It was quite a hectic game to come into, but hopefully the next one’s a bit more settled, and I can get a few more touches on the ball and feel more a part of the team. I’ve been enjoying training, I’ve felt good, so I’m just glad to get my first minutes.

“I’ve felt ready for a little while, I just needed a bit more time in team training but I’m looking forward to getting back out there, feeling more myself, and hopefully bringing some calm - unlike today, which was a bit hectic.”

In a time where support is needed through a long rehabilitation process from an ACL injury, Kit was full of praise for her team-mates and the staff who were with her every step of the way to get her back on the pitch.

“Honestly, I couldn’t have asked for better team-mates or staff,” she added. “Everybody goes above and beyond for everyone in the team, and I couldn’t be more grateful for their support.

“It was a horrible injury, a long time out and [it can be] quite isolating but having great people around you really helps motivate you to get back to doing what you want to do.”

Reflecting on pre-season so far, she said: “It’s a good feeling. A lot has changed, but we’re enjoying it.

“It’s going to take time, but I feel like we’re really starting to implement what [Martin Ho’s] asking of us. That’s all we can do. We can only get bigger and better, so I’m looking forward to more games, more opportunities, and gelling more as a team.”