Rio Adebisi is determined to make up for lost time after nine months on the sidelines.

The 21-year-old has been out of action since December due to a foot injury which proved to be more complicated than first expected.

He underwent surgery in March and it has been a long road back to full fitness for the homegrown defender.

Now Adebisi is back in the first-team set-up and intent on making an impact this season.

He said: “I’m buzzing to be involved again. It’s been a long time, but it’s good to be back with the boys and hopefully I can help them now for the rest of the season.

“Mentally it has been tough. I’d been playing with pain for a few games, but when I stopped, I thought it would just be a few weeks out.

“I actually asked the physios if I could continue to manage it for a bit longer, but they warned me it could get a lot worse. I had to consider the long-term and my whole career, so I had to get it sorted.  

“The original plan was to have two months of rest to see if it healed, but it didn’t so I had to have surgery.

“They put pins in and moved an artery and stuff. It was a complex injury and that’s why I’ve been out for a long time. 

“I took every day by itself, and tried to ‘win’ each day as a way of getting through it.”

Adebisi, who has made 46 appearances for The Railwaymen, was an unused substitute in the 1-1 draw at Hartlepool United in midweek.

Now he is hoping to get to some match action, and push to reclaim his starting place in the team.

He added: “I haven’t played any minutes of football since December, so I’m hoping I can get some U21 minutes under my belt and then get back in the first team as soon as I can.

“I can’t wait to be back on the pitch and play football again. I want to get out there and show the fans what I can do.”