Aldershot Town left-back Ollie Harfield has admitted it was a “hell of a journey” to get back on the pitch after 717 days out with a devastating knee injury.

Harfield soaked up the applause from the 491 fans when his name was announced during the team line-ups before the National League Cup meeting with West Ham United’s under-21 side, and again when was he substituted after 34 minutes of action at the EBB Stadium.

Asked by Shots TV how he felt about the experience, Harfield said: “It’s been a hell of a journey, 700-odd days. To get back out there in front of fans is unbelievable.

“To hear the applause I got just makes all the hard days so worth it. To be walking out here in my kit again is a great achievement for me and my family, and for everyone involved really.”

Harfield is looking forward to the day when him playing a game is not a major event.

He said: “It was a difficult one for me today because I felt like it was more about the people around me. I just wanted to turn up, play my football and go home. But for everyone else it was obviously such a big thing, for being out for so long. It was just an unbelievable feeling to put my kit on again and walk out.”

His description of the injury highlighted how impressive Harfield’s recovery had been.

He said: “It was a bad one. Everything that could have went in my knee went, and everything around it broke and smashed and shattered. All my ligaments went, bones broke.

“I was told by a lot of people that I was finished, which just motivated me to crack on. To get back in my kit is the biggest achievement of my life. I’m just so happy to be back.”