Fit-again Ebbsfleet United striker Rakish Bingham recalls moment he ruptured his Achilles at Slough Town, the lows during his recovery and why he owes the club a debt of gratitude

Rakish Bingham has provided a fascinating insight on being sidelined for more than eight months after making his return to action last weekend.

The Ebbsfleet striker played the last half-hour of the FA Trophy exit to Bishop’s Stortford to mark his return from a ruptured Achilles.

He spoke about finding out the severity of his injury, the dark days of his recovery despite his positive outlook and the debt of gratitude Bingham feels he owes the National League club.

“It’s been a long, tough eight or so months,” admitted Bingham. “You feel like a little kid again playing football out there and helping the boys.

“It’s golden as all the hard work put in behind the scenes means it’s good to reap the rewards by getting back on the pitch.

“Being back out there is a great feeling and I can’t explain to you how happy I am inside. I’m very happy.”

Bingham was one of the leading lights of Ebbsfleet’s procession to the National League South title.

The talisman for the team in so many ways, he was enjoying some of the best football of his career until disaster struck at Slough in late March.

“I think my initial feeling was someone’s just given me a little kick and I’ll be all right and get back up, I don’t need a physio on,” recalled Bingham. “But the referee kept saying ‘are you sure you don’t need a physio?’ and I was a bit surprised at why he kept saying that.

“I asked the boys next to me ‘who tackled me?’ and they said ‘no one tackled you’ so the minute I heard that, I thought this was something quite serious.

“Katie Knowles (Sports Rehabilitator & Therapist) has been with me all the way, she told me in the dressing room when she ran the tests on me.

“She asked if I wanted the good or bad news and I think I knew straight away what