Colchester United skipper Tommy Smith making good progress

But the Colchester United club captain says he is edging closer to making a return to action.

Smith has been sidelined since suffering the innocuous injury in the U's pre-season friendly against Millwall, in July.

The 32-year-old has been out for the last two months after a Lions player landed on his foot, inflicting a rare ligament injury.

But the experienced New Zealand international admits at the time, he did not realise how bad the injury was.

Smith said: "We both jumped for a header, the opposition player landed on my foot and I sort of fell over, so my foot twisted.

"But at the time, I just thought that it was a stamp on my foot and that it was going to be a bit sore but wear off, the next day.

"I played on and I think there was about 25 minutes left of the half.

"We were playing two XIs, so I was coming off at half-time anyway.

RICHARD BLAXALL (Image: RICHARD BLAXALL)

"It was a little bit sore but it wasn't until the next morning that I woke up and I could hardly put any weight through it.

"I thought then that something more serious had happened but never in my wildest dreams did I think it would be as long as it was.

"It wasn't until the scan results came back and confirmed just how bad it was that I knew.

"It's a bit of an awkward one - it's quite a rare injury, from what I've been told.

"It's the Lisfranc ligament, a really small ligament that connects the tarsals of the feet, between my first and second tarsal.

"Whenever you put any weight through your foot, those ligaments are strained and stretched, so I had to completely non-weight bear for six weeks, whilst the ligament healed.

"I was on crutches and it wasn't easy but now that I'm back out on the grass, it's feeling good and hopefully, it's not too much longer now before I can be back amongst the group.

"Then it's a case of trying to get that match fitness back."

Smith has now returned to grass work, after more than six weeks of rehabilitation.

He is reluctant to put a date on any possible playing comeback but the former Ipswich Town defender is glad to be making progress.

"It's just a case of going through return to play protocols," said Smith, who has played 83 times for Colchester since joining them in the summer of 2020.

RICHARD BLAXALL (Image: RICHARD BLAXALL)

"It's about ticking boxes and seeing if there's a reaction to certain movements.

"It's not a quick fix but I'm not too far away now.

"I don't like to put a timescale on it, because anything can happen.

"You can have setbacks here and there but it's great to be back out on the grass.

"I've spent what has felt like an eternity confined to the gym environment.

"You're watching the lads go out to train and playing the matches and you just want to join them.

"You have the little things that get you by.

"You have to have a goal set to work towards but it's never easy.

"You always feel that when you are fit and well, you always take it for granted and then when you are injured, you understand just how difficult it is.

RICHARD BLAXALL (Image: RICHARD BLAXALL)

"For players like Ryan Clampin who have had really long injuries, you can really put yourself in their shoes.

"Fortunately for me, it's not going to be as long as that but it's always a tough one, mentally and physically to keep yourself going and see that light at the end of the tunnel.

"But for me now, it's not too far away."

Smith admits it has been touch to watch from the sidelines during his injury comeback.

But the ex-Colorado Rapids defender says having other people around him at the club has helped keep his spirits up, during his time out.

He said: "There's days when you feel in a mental place that's better and there's days when you feel a little bit worse about things.

"It is a case of staying positive but these days, there are other ways that you can go about mental health, if you feel like you need to speak to people.

"The PFA are very good at offering counsellors you can speak to.

STEVE BRADING (Image: STEVE BRADING)

"Fortunately for me, I haven't needed to this time around but it's easy to see why, especially with those longer-term injuries.

"When you've got people around you, it's good as well.

"The physios are all very good and they've obviously seen it all before so they can keep you in the right mental space as well.

"Then when other players are injured around you, you sort of keep each other going and driving each other on.

"I've been quite fortunate, in that I've not just been isolating on my own."

RICHARD BLAXALL (Image: RICHARD BLAXALL)

Smith is yet to play for Colchester so far, this season.

It has been tough going for the U's, who lie a point above the League Two relegation zone after only one win in ten league games.

Smith has been a regular at the U's home matches, trying to lend his support to the team.

He added: "I've been in there at half-time and if I spot things that perhaps the coaching staff haven't seen, I do try and mention little things, without sticking my oar in where it's not wanted!

"Or as an individual, going up to some of the younger players just checking that everything is alright and that they're in the right space as well.

"It's never easy; you've had young players come into the team this season who have never experienced the pressures of first-team football before, so they need to be looked after and made sure that they're feeling OK.

"It's a different role, when you're not playing every week but it's one that I try and embrace and do the best I can."