After missing the majority of last season through injury, Norwich City centre-back Andrew Omobamidele was pleased to be back on the pitch for Tuesday's friendly at King's Lynn Town.
“It was great," he said. "It felt a bit weird coming into the changing room at the start, but it was great.
"It’s been a long seven to eight months and I have to thank all of the physios and the sports science staff because this was the plan in the schedule.
"Hopefully I can keep progressing. Without them, I might be off schedule and not ready yet.
"I’m a believer that everything happens for a reason. I felt like it wasn’t a great time to get injured.
"Then again, I’m kind of happy that it’s out of the way instead of happening this season or the one after.
"You can take negatives and positives away from it. I’m delighted that I played 45 and felt good.”
As for the game, King's Lynn were no pushovers, but Omobamidele is content with the progress being made by the team during pre-season.
“After the three games we’ve played, you can slowly see the stuff we’ve been working on in training," he said.
"We’re starting to bring it onto the pitch and we’ve got a few games left before the start of the season.
"I didn’t play the first two games but from watching them I can see improvement in everything we’re doing.
"King’s Lynn, credit to them, they came out and gave us a test, but that’s what these games are for.”
Our recent pre-season training camp in Germany provided opportunities for team bonding, with Academy players mixing with the more experienced first-team squad members.
“Germany was class," Omobamidele said. "It was a good time putting in a lot of work training wise and off the field we’ve got really close as a team.
"Everyone knows to be a successful team you need to be close-knitted, so it was a good trip.
“I was an academy lad a year and a half to two years ago so I know how it feels for the younger boys coming in.
“It’s mad to see because it feels like yesterday that I was one of those guys.
“There are a lot of players and the Germany trip was great for the Academy lads to get to know people they maybe wouldn’t have spoken to normally.
“When I look back at when I first integrated, it was easy for me to bond with the lads. They’re all experienced, so I’m sure the boys will have no problems.”
Next up, City travel to France to take on Marseille in Saturday's friendly.
“It will be a tough game, Marseille, but we’re taking it a game at a time in pre-season, trying to put on the pitch what we’re working on in training and what we need to improve. It will be a test.”