Shropshire Star

Fleetwood v Shrewsbury Town: Ryan Sears recalls the long tortuous months out

It has been, at times, a harrowing eight months in the life of Ryan Sears.

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Everything was looking up for the young Welshman in the first quarter of 2019. He’d come on as a first-half substitute at Molineux and performed admirably, he shone on a shock League One start at Barnsley, putting himself well in the first-team frame, writes Lewis Cox.

But things came crashing down shortly afterwards. Town were training on a Saturday, preparing for the Easter Monday visit of Oxford ­– a game that could have confirmed survival for Sam Ricketts’ men – and academy graduate Sears, at Shrewsbury since he was 14, was pushing to start.

But the session finished in nightmare circumstances.

Sears recalled: “It was training on a Saturday, we were playing some games and literally in the very last second I went over on myself and just couldn’t move.

“It was severe pain and I thought to myself straight away ‘this could be bad’.

“When Beechy (physio Jordan Beech) told me I’d got a tear in my ACL I was thinking ‘oh God this is going to be long’ but I’ve had people here help me through.

“My family have helped me and supported me all the way, it’s just something I wouldn’t want to go through again.”

Last weekend came as the latest milestone for Sears, who turned 21 over the Christmas period. He was named at right wing-back by boss Ricketts for the visit of Lincoln City, a first appearance in some nine months.

He is pushing for a start at Fleetwood Town tomorrow. Sears is up against the consistent Donald Love for the right-sided defensive slot, though Love’s likelihood to play in the FA Cup means there could be a role for Sears on the Fylde coast.

Joey Barton’s Cod Army, 3-0 winners at the Meadow in September, are hunting a return to form after just one win in nine in all competitions.

Sears had loan spells away from the Meadow at Welsh Premier outfit and hometown club Newtown ­– where he was players’ player of the season – and AFC Telford United.

After scoring his first Shrewsbury goal last January, more than holding his own against Wolves’ glitzy stars in the FA Cup last February and starring against promotion contenders Barnsley, Sears admits he was flying.

“I was confident, going into the games when I got injured I was hoping to be in the squad, pushing to start, and my confidence was sky high,” he added.

“That injury knocked it all back down and I had to rebuild.”

But last week’s call to feature against the Imps, where Sears’ lofted cross was part of the build-up to Town’s penalty dispatched by Ollie Norburn, was a real milestone for the academy graduate.

“It meant the world to me, it felt like another debut. To be in the squad, playing, was an amazing feeling,” he added.

“In the back of your mind you always feel you’ve got to get through it. I just thought back to the days when I was playing.

“I just had to forget about my injury and get through it.

“I was fine. In the changing room I tried to prepare myself how I would have before the injury, to get all the nerves out.

“The players were all helping me through, especially Lenell (John-Lewis) – he was there by my side.

“He’s such a nice man, a really good player as well, it’s a shame he’s moving on but I wish him the best.”

“Even if you have a bad five minutes they’re pushing you through. It’s good to have such a great team around me.”