Half-time Chats: Stewart Nixon’s injury from hell
Lauren McCann
Stewart Nixon was back enjoying his football at Carrick Rangers when he unknowingly sustained an ACL injury in his knee last November, an injury which tends to keep a player out of action between nine months to a year.
He played on with advice from physios but kept breaking down so eventually gave in and went to see a surgeon who confirmed his worst fears.
After undergoing surgery in the summer and coming to terms with the fact that he will be merely a spectator this season, Nixon was a guest on The Sporty Scoop to talk through his his ongoing recovery process and his career to date.
Can you explain how the injury happened?
“I was playing against Coleraine on November 7 last year and Josh Carson came in the back of me trying to win the ball. Whatever way my leg bent, the ligament in my knee was at full stretch and ruptured. I got a bit of treatment and played on but when I came back on, I heard my knee pop. I couldn’t move it at all, and the pain was horrendous, but I iced it and had a month and a bit off before coming back on Boxing Day against Larne.
I wasn’t meant to play; I was meant to be on the bench but after 15 minutes I came on and played really well and the reaction from the knee was 100 per cent. Then we played New Year’s Day against Crusaders, and I was running towards Ben Kennedy, planted my left leg and heard a pop and I couldn’t move my knee.
I realised something was seriously wrong, but I didn’t go for an MRI as I wasn’t advised to as everything seemed strong enough, so the club thought it was a cartilage problem. I missed all of January, came back in February but something was telling me to go for a scan, so I bit the bullet and went in May. Then came the news that I had ruptured my ACL and torn cartilage from November, so I played three months with no ACL or cartilage which is mental. Even the surgeon couldn’t give me an answer on how I was able to play on. I went and got surgery in July and now I’m going well, I’m flat out in the gym and back running, increasing the intensity week by week.”
How difficult was it to accept that you will be out of football for so long?
Nixon’s knee post ACL reconstruction surgery.
“I’ve never really missed football with an injury, so when they said I did my ACL it was really tough to take. When I was told the recovery process was nine months it really hit me, it was a real shock to try and accept. I struggle accepting not being able to train. When you see the boys training, you want to join in, and you have to keep on reminding yourself you can’t, so I have to take a step back and miss a few sessions and games sometimes to get my head right. I’m taking it week by week, I’m in no rush.”
You had a spell at Coleraine previously in your career, how did you find the step up from Carrick?
“The step up to Coleraine was huge. I was stepping out of my comfort zone as I didn’t know many people. I signed on deadline day in January and COVID happened, so I only played five games that season, but it was exceptional being there.
There were more leaders in the squad, and you learn so much off the likes of Lyndon Kane, Josh Carson, Jamie Glackin and Stephen Lowry in training. Their work rate in training is amazing, they’re non-stop running. Every training session you feel yourself get better, they set an example and it was great to share a changing room with them.
I also played in Europe which was an experience and a half. We beat Maribor on penalties, but we couldn’t really enjoy the win as we had to come straight home but to be part of it was amazing and then to play against Motherwell was unbelievable as I never thought I would be good enough to play in Europe. I think I can use that experience to help the younger ones in Carrick now.
I played the start of the next season but come February, I didn’t really play and that was quite frustrating. My time overall in Coleraine was very good there are some things I would change but I enjoyed it.”
Was your move back to Carrick motivated by your need for regular game time?
“Definitely. Oran said to me you’re not really going to play as Glackin is there and Conor McKendry has just signed with PK (Patrick Kelly now at West Ham) breaking through. Those three players were ahead of me and I’m not a player to sit on the bench or not be in the squad as I would lose concentration. When I found out Carrick were in for me, I thought why not go back and enjoy it with regular game time.”
What was Oran Kearney like as a manager and how does he compare to Stuart King?
Oran and I got on really well. When I was playing, I was loving it and when you’re not playing you think he’s the worst in the world ‘cause he’s not picking you! Overall, he helped me a lot with the way he spoke to me. I have a lot of time for him.
Stuart and Oran are completely different managers in the way they approach the game. Stuart is very passionate and he’s brilliant when he speaks to you. He gets a message across, and he always wants to win. Shouting all the time is his way of putting across the message and it works with a lot of the boys, you can see that this season.”
To listen to the full interview, make sure to check out The Sporty Scoop on Spotify.
Lauren McCann is The Scoop’s Sport Editor and an English and Spanish student at Queen’s University Belfast.