'1/10,000 chance' - Former Liverpool and Rangers star on his remarkable Bristol Rovers return following 16-month absence

Former Liverpool and Rangers midfielder Jordan Rossiter has opened up on his 16-month absence, as the Bristol Rovers player has finally made a return to action, following an injury, which turned into a serious infection.

The 27-year-old returned to action last weekend in the Gas’ win at Cheltenham Town. In an interview with the local media at The Quarters training ground, Rossiter said: “It’s a long story, but it’s a bit of a mad one, it was only meant to be a six-week injury originally. The MK Dons game was where I got the injury. It was something little, I went up for a header and felt something go in my knee. I went and saw a specialist and the specialist said, ‘I'll have you be back playing within four-to-six weeks, so that would have meant I would have been back just after Christmas, around the January time. I then went in for surgery a week later, but then unfortunately during the surgery I picked up an infection, I don't quite know the name of it, but it was an infection which travelled through my blood stream and got into my joints and from then on in, I was really ill and sick for a few weeks.

“A lot of nights in hospital, on drips and things like that, antibiotics and from then on it was just that uphill battle to get back, but everything was good within the knee, but it's just the way the infection got into the joint, that's what really set me back, it meant I lost weight and things like that and obviously I lost all my leg muscles and I had to learn how to walk again. So it was an uphill task, but I always knew that I wanted to get back playing and thankfully I’m back on my feet now and I’m back playing.”

The Scouser has had quite a journey on his road to recovery and Gasheads are absolutely delighted to see him playing in blue and white again. “I just didn't feel great after the surgery,” said the 27-year-old. “A few days after the surgery I rang the doctor down here and I said to them that something is not right here, I don’t feel great. I couldn’t really get out of bed, I couldn’t move, I couldn't eat, I  just didn't feel great in myself.

“A few days later I came down here and then I had a few tests, they took a bit of fluid out of the knee and he said ‘you have got an infection in your knee.’ I think it is something like a one in 10,000 chance. The surgeon said he has been doing what he has been doing for 30 years and he said I’m his first ever infection and to have these complications, so it was tough to hear, but from then on it was just about getting myself back healthy and then whenever I played again or getting myself going again then just took care of that when I could.”

Rossiter has made two starts upon his return, playing 50 minutes in both, as his manager Matt Taylor builds up his minutes. The midfielder’s contract expires this summer, but the former Rangers man is just delighted that he is back playing again and isn’t fazed about the contract situation that looms over his head.