Winger featured in latest B Team game
- Aaron Rowe on being back on the pitch
- Enjoyed a good test against Middlesbrough
- Winger discusses his recovery
Huddersfield Town winger Aaron Rowe was delighted to play his first minutes of competitive action for the B Team after missing the first chunk of the campaign through injury.
Rowe played 65 minutes of the Young Terriers’ defeat to a strong Middlesbrough side as part of his pathway back to the First Team.
The 20-year-old made 22 First Team appearances last season, but picked up a toe injury which has kept him out since May 2021. He explained how frustrating it has been on the sidelines.
“It has been like a knock-on effect with the injury - I came back early and then I did it again, so it has been very, very frustrating for me.
“It has probably been my longest time out injured, so mentally it has been hard but there is always light at the end of the tunnel - as long as you’re pursuing it and keep thinking you’ll be back it will be good.
“For me, the rehab has been really dull and boring because no one wants to be injured and this injury was very tough for me - it was just one of those annoying injuries.
“But, as a footballer, it comes with the sacrifices you make, so you just have to break down the barriers and just keep going.
“Injuries are a weird one because sometimes it can make or break you.
“You spend a long time by yourself and do the rehab by yourself, so it shifts the mental aspects in your brain to want it even more and appreciate football ten times more.
“It has been a long time out - my last game was last season - so it felt very good to be back out there.
“I enjoyed being back playing and doing what I love.”
Rowe was deployed as a right wing-back during their 5-1 loss to a Boro XI that was flooded with First Team players.
It was a stern test for Town’s youngsters, but Rowe believes that it is important to face these challenges.
“It is always a good test when we come up against good opposition, especially when they have a lot of First Team players out there playing.
“It was a good test for us, and we like challenges and playing against good teams allows us to test ourselves, so it was important for them to put that side out.
“I thought we outplayed them in the first half and kept the ball the majority of the time and we had loads of chances that we just needed to put away.
“It wasn’t the result that we wanted, but we go again.”
