Morrison admits: I thought... ‘is this it?’

JAMES Morrison feared he would have to quit football during his hellish battle with injury.

The Albion stalwart, who played a pivotal part in Saturday’s 4-1 win over Leeds at The Hawthorns, spent ten months on the sidelines with a complex Achilles problem.

Morrison returned to action in September, but only now is he enjoying a run of games in the team after finally moving on from the injury.

So the win over Leeds tasted all the sweeter for Morrison, who has had to overcome “lots” of psychological barriers to get back to his best.

“God, I broke down four times and you think ‘am I ever going to get back, is this it?’ because I’m no spring chicken,” the 32-year-old said.

“I just kept believing and worked hard and had good family around me to keep pushing me and spent a month on my own in Qatar, working to get fit in a rehab centre there.

“I’m not just trying to make it up for a bit of sympathy.

“The struggles you go through with a serious injury are massive. Doubts creep into you, ‘can you still do it?’ and I still deal with that now – doubt. You just keep going, so Saturday night was a real boost.”

Having seen fellow long-standing servants Claudio Yacob and Gareth McAuley be released over the summer, the pressure was on Morrison to prove his fitness to earn a new contract. He spent time working with his own physio and reached a level of fitness that satisfied Baggies boss Darren Moore. A new deal materialised, extending the Scotland international’s Albion career into a 12th season.

A move that now appears to be paying off for player and club.

“I really wanted it and there was a decision at the end of the season to come back and try and go out on a high,” Morrison added.

“I felt good (against Leeds) and it’s important I keep going through the international break and not let it slip.

“I’ll probably sit by myself and reminisce how far I’ve come. It is a good achievement for myself personally because this time last year I was in a bad hole and I’ll probably just give myself a pat on the back.”

The nature of his injury fuelled lingering doubts and anxieties. Would he come through the first tackle and sprint? “Things like that. Then you try and get that first pass away and settle down,” the midfielder said. “You run and you tackle, the crowd gets up and you go from there. That’s my third game. I didn’t feel that tired considering there was a lot of work for the midfield. I was happy.

“I’ve missed that, coming off the pitch with a win and feeling knackered. It’s little things like that. You can pay me all the money in the world but you can’t replace that.”