The Peterborough Evening Telegraph
‘A football injury is not the end of the world’
Experienced Posh midfielder Oliver Norburn speaks about his long-term injury, his rehab, setbacks, mental trials, physical pain, some strong relationships, the joy of returning to action and that infamous transfer request
It was a gruelling 350 days between firstteam appearances, but Oliver Norburn is back now and helping push Posh towards the League One play-offs.
The 30 year-old midfielder is happy to be part of a close-knit squad and he’s happy the manager who brought him to London Road is back in charge.
He opened up about his long and difficult road to recovery from the nightmare football injury of cruciate ligament damage to the Posh media team, when he also spoke for the first time about that infamous transfer request of 14 months ago, made when his club was in the heat of a relegation battle.
"Footballers are human and I was finding it tough living away from my young family,” Norburn explained. “The football side was going okay so it definitely wasn’t for football reasons I asked to leave. I had nothing at all against the club.
"But I’m rejuvenated now and happy to be back on the pitch in a position to help the team.
"I wouldn’t want an injury like this at any time, but at least I got to spend a lot of time with my family. I had some quality time with my little daughter and my missus was briilliant. It was good to at least pull some positives from the situation.
"It’s no slight on the previous manager, but I’m working again now for the manager who brought me here.
"I’ve always enjoyed a good working relationship with him. I like the way he sets the team up and I respect him highly so the return of a manager who knows me as a person and a player has made things a bit smoother.
"I was like a kid in the playground when I was able to kick a ball again. I did try and get rid of a few lads in training to help me get back into the side!
"I wasn’t nervous when I started playing again
though. It was just my body getting used to things I hadn’t done for a while. I’ve come through it fine though.
"Rehab is tough. I would say 80% of it is mental. There would be times when I was really pushing myself and yet I was thinking ‘why am I doing this’ when I’m still six or seven months from playing again?
"Some of the toughest times came when I was watching the lads play and I couldn’t do anything to help them.
"I felt a bit distant from it all, although to be fair we have a great set of lads here and I tried to be a positive influence around them.
"It can be lonely though as they’d be having lunch after training and I’d be off to have another session on the bike.
"I formed a great relationship with physio John Chatfield. It was a very professional relationship, but it helps when you get on with and trust the man you are working with.
"John was top drawer. He was basically on call for me 24 hours a day. He put me through hell and back, but hopefully it will pay off.
"A football injury is not the end of the world.”
Norburn’s nightmare started in the unlikely setting
of an astroturf pitch in Andorra on March 28, 2022. He was playing in a friendly for the Grenada national team when he heard a worrying ‘pop.’
“It all happened pretty quickly, “Norburn added. “I felt someone behind me,
just tried to turn away from him and as I pushed off I felt a ‘pop.’
"As it was in the back of my knee I wasn’t sure what it would be. I had a scan the following day which showed it was an ACL injury which is a massive injury for a footballer.
"But 24-48 hours after I knew the problem I accepted it. There wasn’t anything I could do about it. There was no point in dwelling on it.
"I had surgery a few weeks later and now here we are.”