Long road to recovery again for injured Worksop Town keeper Seb Malkowski

A third anterior cruciate ligament injury of his career has delayed his start to life in the Pitching In Northern Premier League Premier Division.

Malkowski was a key figure to the Tigers’ strong defensive displays last term, with Worksop only conceding 25 times in a 38-league game campaign.

An unfortunate incident away from the pitch has had the one-time Polish international sidelined since April.

“It’s been a long time for me,” he explained. “It was a bad time as no player wants to be injured – whether it’s like me or any injury.

“I felt bad and every day I wanted to return quicker, and after surgery, I wanted to get back like I am now.

"I was in the gym and wanting to get back. Now I am back, I am ready and every day and every game I feel stronger.

“This was my third knee injury – the same injury as when I was playing professionally in Poland.

"I now play without an ACL, so my knee now is a strong muscle to be able to play without it.

“Jordan Parkin helped me every day. Every day we talked and if we couldn’t, we would message. Sometimes I would annoy him about this.

“But he helped me so much at any time and any day, he was there for me. He helped me know what I needed to do every day.”

In Malkowski’s place was first Adam Hayton and then Paul Cooper, who went on to make 19 appearances and keep five clean sheets, both on loan from Barnsley.

Cooper came in and he became a hit with fans and he grow fond of the club, whilst putting in some strong displays on the pitch before the keeper was recalled by his parent club.

“I miss him,” he added. “He is a really good lad, and we had a good relationship – he was like a brother.

“We would talk before and after games about our game and bad points and good points and we’d sit with Hoody and just talk.

“As I say, I do miss him because I need other goalkeepers to be breathing down my back for competition.”