Jack Collison: I was pretty much living my life on an ice machine

In May 2009, after making a successful return from two months out with a knee injury, Jack Collison won West Ham’s Young Player of the Year award.

Collison had suffered a knee injury in a game against Wigan Athletic, but aged just 20, few would have thought too much about it when he returned to feature in what was his breakthrough season.

In reality, it was the beginning of the end of his career and the injury which ultimately forced him into retirement seven years later, still only 27.

“It was quite innocuous really,” says Collison. “It was a long ball from Robert Green. I’ve tried to control it on my chest and as I’ve gone to run off, with no one around me, I fell awkwardly on my knee.

“My foot got caught in the ground and my body weight went one way and my kneecap went the other. It popped out and did a lot of damage. From then on, I was never fully fit again.

“I knew it was a bad one at the time. I’d never felt pain like it in my life, even with all the oxygen I was given.

“After reviewing it I had the option of long-term surgery or to try and strengthen it to see if I could get back playing that way. As a young player, having just broken into the first team and started playing international football, I wanted to get back as soon as possible.

“We tried the route of strengthening the muscles, but within 25 to 30 games it got to the point where I’d play on Saturday, my knee would swell up, and I probably wouldn’t train again until the Friday.

“It was a very difficult time and it obviously affected my performances and affected my knee long term.”

Collison belatedly opted for surgery in May 2010, over a year after the initial injury, but it put him out of action for 14 months.

When he made his return at the end of the