Southport striker Jordan Archer says there were moments during his 10-month recovery where it felt like there was no light at the end of the tunnel – but his goal against Brackley Town made the tireless recovery worth it.
The 30-year-old made his much-anticipated return to the first-team during last Tuesday’s 2-1 defeat at home to Spennymoor. His comeback marked the first inclusion in the squad since April 2023, in that time he suffered setbacks, misdiagnosis and surgery.
Fast forward to February 2024, he pounced on a defensive mistake to slot home and round off the scoring as 10-man Southport moved three points clear of the relegation zone with the 3-1 comeback win.
“It’s a good feeling man, it was a proper sense of relief, I’ve missed that feeling of the ball, just before it goes into the net and knowing it’s in and you know it’s a goal,” the former Chester and Port Vale forward began, speaking to Off The Park. “I was buzzing, all the lads came over, a special feeling.
“The injury shouldn’t have taken so long, I went to some consultants and it was dragging out, a couple of weeks before we were playing Bootle in a friendly, I’ve struck the ball and it wasn’t right from there.”
With the season fizzling out in the second-half of the 2022-23 season, Southport hosted Chester. For Archer, it was like any other Saturday afternoon, he was doing his defensive duties from the front and went to block a pass from the defender.
“It was a weird one the injury, it was against Chester and I’ve blocked a ball with the outside of my foot. I’ve carried on running then and as soon as I’ve stopped, I can feel a pain in my knee – I thought I jarred it or something – and I couldn’t walk off the pitch when I stood up.
“We thought it wasn’t anything major but it wasn’t getting any better, over pre-season I’ve not played or done anything on it.
“Towards the end, I was running on it – could still feel it a bit but it was not too bad and I thought it’d pass – then the first run I’ve done, I’ve gone round the corner and I can’t describe the pain so I knew it wasn’t right then.
“It was something to do with the cartilage, not an impact injury, but just over time then something triggered it.”
What could’ve been a routine recovery turned into a seven-month recovery before Archer returned to contention, expecting to feature in a friendly against neighbours Bootle FC. But he would soon fear the worst as he fired goalwards in the warm-up, feeling pain once again in his knee and taking the forward back to the drawing board.
And the rehabilitation was far from routine. The 30-year-old was passed to one consultant, who provided ill advice to the striker before the line went cold. An injection was suggested and could’ve severely impacted Archer’s future in football, if not ending his love of the game prematurely.
With the support of club physio Dan Gabrielson, Archer would speak to renowned knee specialist Mr Rob Gilbert who put the attacker in the right direction before undergoing surgery.
Archer describes: “I’d done all the rehab with Dan (Gabrielson), felt fine, then struck the ball and it wasn’t right. I’ve had the surgery in November and it was almost like: ‘here we go again, back to square one’, there are times where it doesn’t feel right but then is it just in my head? But I’ve pushed through and through.
“When you’ve got a long injury like that, there doesn’t seem to be any light at the end of the tunnel but Saturday makes it all worthwhile when you score after 10 months out.”
Throughout the rehabilitation, there were dark times and good times. For Jordan, he was capable of doing something he’d barely done since pursuing a career in semi-professional football – watch his brother Cameron at Aston Villa and Sheffield United, before his successful England under-21 exploits in Georgia.
While watching his younger brother brought some enjoyment, there was still the matter of ensuring he made a full recovery with his knee issue.
“There were times that I was thinking: ‘is my knee ever going to be the same as it was before?’ Or knocking it on the head after the first time because I don’t want problems with my knee in the future, there was a moment,” he said.
On the pitch at Southport, things wasn’t entirely rosy; the club narrowly avoided relegation under Liam Watson before he stepped down from his role in August – with the club at the foot of the table – before Jim Bentley succeeded him.
Concerns would’ve crept into Archer’s mind over the new boss, whether he would be in his plans or whether he would be cast aside with a serious knee injury and a long spell on the sidelines. However, Bentley kept Archer close and ensured his recovery was going well, keeping him around the squad and spearheading the applause during their team meetings.
And 312 days after his last goal against Banbury United, he was on target again and the contemplation of throwing the towel in were rightly cast aside. “But I love playing football and injuries like this do set you back but you have to get through it, keep pushing and there is light at the end of the tunnel – Saturday showed that.”
Messages of congratulations flooded in from within the squad and around the world, including former team-mate Niall Watson – who now plies his trade at South Georgia Tormenta. Reflecting on the goal, Archer couldn’t believe his luck.
He explained: “I remember Matty (Thomson) getting the ball and thinking: ‘I’m going to have to make a run here’ bearing in mind I’m absolutely blowing out my a***.
“He’s played it in behind and I could see the defender shaping up to knock it back to the goalkeeper so I gambled, luckily it’s come up short with the header, I couldn’t believe my luck.
“When I scored, it was a proper sense of relief, I’ve missed that feeling of the ball, just before it goes into the net and knowing it’s in and you know it’s a goal. I was buzzing, all the lads came over, a special feeling.”
The reception from Southport fans ignited a newfound desire, following the reception to his return in midweek. But there was a greater feeling of appreciation, reciprocated by the Bedworth-born striker and encapsulated his love of the club.
Archer said: “It was one of the things I was thinking about, the reception I got on Tuesday, it was always at the back of my mind.
“I always wanted to get back in front of the fans because of the songs they sing, when they sing your name it gives you a lift and when I came on, there was a roar – it gave me goosebumps.
“It was one of the things I was working towards, the appreciation from the fans is good, it’s why I love playing for Southport.”
[Featured image: Julia Urwin – Southport FC]
