If you could design the ultimate nightmare of a season for a player at a new club, Ebou Adams' first 10 months at Cardiff City wouldn't be too far away from it.
He was the first player through the door in Steve Morison's summer 2022 overhaul, which saw 17 new faces brought into the club as the then manager looked to revamp the squad and playing style.
The club were excited by the acquisition of Adams, who tore it up for Forest Green Rovers as they romped to the League Two title last term. Despite there being a two-tier step-up, insiders at Cardiff were confident that Adams would play a big part in proceedings this season.
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But 10 minutes into his Cardiff debut, a pre-season friendly against Cambridge United, he ripped his pectoral muscle off the bone in what Morison described at the time as a "freak, car crash, rugby-type injury".
Adams, 27, was thought to be flying through his rehab as the summer went on, but another bizarre injury to his knee held him back. An injury which required yet more surgery, too. Such was his luck, the recovery wasn't straightforward, either.
With all this going on, Morison had been sacked and Mark Hudson followed not long after in January as Cardiff failed to arrest their slide down the ladder. In came Sabri Lamouchi and his assistant Sol Bamba, who made a point of speaking to the crocked midfielder upon his arrival.
"I spoke to Sol when he came in and he just said that I'd been unlucky with the injuries I've had. I've searched them up and they're unheard of!" Adams said of his injuries in the matchday programme ahead of the Huddersfield Town game.
"To tear your pec in a football match is so rare and then I chipped a bone under my knee cap. It healed in a strange way, so it's been tough to get back.
"That's all behind me now and I'm just enjoying playing football. It's my bread and butter and I enjoy playing with a smile."
He and Jamilu Collins have been big losses this season. Just minutes into his fourth game of the season, Collins ruptured his ACL and was consigned to a season on the sidelines alongside Adams.
It's understandable, then, that the pair have struck up quite the friendship in the treatment room.
"We've been playing a lot of darts together and joking with the boys and that's helped us get over the injuries," Adams said of Collins.
"It's been hard, because in pre-season we were all training together and getting to know each other. But then me and JC have been injured so we've been getting through the tough times together.
"The boys have all been great and I'm getting to know them all even better now. It's just about trying to get myself available and being patient for when my chance comes."
It brought smiles to the faces of thousands of fans when Adams made his comeback for the under-21s a fortnight ago. A 45-minute outing against Coventry City was followed by a 65-minute showing against Barnsley at Cardiff City Stadium last week.
His home debut, albeit for the under-21s, was a fruitful one, too, as he volleyed home his first goal in Cardiff colours to give Darren Purse's side the lead in the 3-1 win over the young Tykes.
Adams visibly grew in confidence as the tie wore on and he is pleased with his own progress. In fact, he wants his return to the first team to hurry up.
"I feel good. I was trying to push Pursey to let me play a bit more, but rules are rules! The physio said that I could only do 65 minutes at most, but I was feeling good," he said.
"The fact that I wanted to play more is only a good thing for the body. I think that's the hardest part; when you've been out for so long, you just want to get back and keep playing, because that's what you're used to.
"Obviously, It's been a long six or seven months, it's been tough, but I'm glad to be back playing and I'm humbled."
That goal gave fans a little look at just what he is capable of. Cardiff have at times missed that dynamism in midfield this season, with some believing the players currently in that position to be all too similar.
Known for his box-to-box style, bolstering both defence and attack, Adams produced a moment of real quality to break the deadlock against Barnsley. The ball dropped for him 20 yards out and he placed a volley into the top corner, way out of the reach of the Barnsley 'keeper. It was enough to make you sit up and take notice, at the very least.
"I was always going to side-foot it," he said of the goal. "It looked nice and comfortable for me and it was best to just place it. Thankfully, it went in the top corner and it looked really nice. I've watched it back a couple of times since!
"As the game grew I got more and more confident. I was going into tackles, turning and changing direction. I think taking on that strike shows that I'm building my confidence back up. I really enjoyed it and it was good to top it off with a win as well."
For Adams, he hopes it is the first of a number of moments to remember in a Cardiff shirt. One year has gone by and he is in the prime of his career, so he will not want to waste any more time.
And, indeed, he wants to show the fans just what he is capable of. He met some of them at the open training session over Easter and thought they wouldn't even recognise him, given he has not played for the first team yet.
Of course, they did recognise him. They are desperate to see him in action. And, looking to the months ahead and the 2023/24 campaign, he doesn't want to let them down.
"I want to show the fans what I can do," he added. "It's been hard for me; it's frustrating that 45 games have gone by now and they haven't seen me play.
"I hope that goal was a glimpse of it and hopefully there is more to come. I don't know how the fans do it, just sitting and watching a game! It's so tough to just sit and watch - I want to be out on the pitch where I can influence it!
"It's up to me to get fully fit, fully strong and show the fans what I can do."
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