Terry Dunfield is a player who has been with us for a while now, after signing last season from Macclesfield. He played 16 games for us last season but has found appearances limited because of a shoulder injury sustained in August. Marcus Braddock grabbed a quick word with him at the Prostar Stadium, after his return to the first team this weekend.

MB: How did you think Saturday went?
TD: It felt good, I felt like my old self on Saturday. Since I have come back from the shoulder injury, I have played once in the reserves, once against Telford and then the game against Bury on Saturday. I feel like I have my old skip back to my step and I feel myself now.

MB: I take it you are looking for a run in the team now, after your lay-off.
TD: Hopefully yes, if we can get a few results. Whatever the manager chooses, I am sure will be right, so when I do get my opportunity I need to go out there and give it 100%.

MB: Saturday must have been a horrible day to play football.
TD: You say that, but for me it couldn't have been better, against my old club in tough conditions. We knew we were going to come up against 2 tough midfielders in Barry-Murphy and Dawson; we probably won't have a tougher game all year. The whole day was good, waking up knowing I was going to play and pre-match, all those little things that add up to make the day. I was like a little kid around the house on Friday and Saturday morning, it was brilliant to just enjoy the day.

MB: You still have a twang of a Canadian accent, when did you come to England?
TD: I moved over when I was fifteen-sixteen and went to school for six months to a year.

MB: So it was straight to join Manchester City when you got here?
TD: Yes, that's the reason I was here, I had played in Vancouver for the local sides. I had come over and played in a tournament at Keele, and City said, we like the look of you, come over again next year and we will take it from there. I played a couple of games when Joe Royal was manager.

MB: So you are an ex-Premiership player?
TD: I guess you could say that, just about.

MB: It looks good on the C.V.
TD: I need some new stuff on my CV, that's getting a bit old now. I played with Joe Royal as manager, unfortunately, just as I was getting in the team he got the sack, and they brought Kevin Keegan in. Things started well, but unfortunately he started to bring in world class players, and I was 19 going on 20. Looking back, I thought I knew everything but so I told the former European player of the year that he was wrong and that I should be playing ahead of players like Eyal Berkowitz and Ali Benarbia. They were good players and in hindsight, maybe I should have been patient as before I knew it, I was out the door and playing for Bury.

MB: You ended up playing nearly 100 games for them, so not such a bad move though?
TD: Yes, just shy of 100. I went on loan initially as I still had 2 years left at City on my deal. We were second in the table, Andy Preece was the manager and I really got on with him, Loved playing every week. At the end of my loan spell, believe it or not , I went in to Kevin Keegan, who was going to offer me a new deal and said," I want to play, I want to go to Bury".

At this point it was impossible to suppress a smile...

TD: Yeah, I know, that was the reaction I got from my old man, everyone was like, "What are you doing? Go back and be patient, maybe there is somewhere between Bury and Manchester City.". But I was adamant, and the more people told me not to, the more I wanted to go, I ended up playing for Bury for three and a half years. Unfortunately in my spell there I had a bad shoulder injury, and I struggled to get fit from that. Just as I got going again I hurt my knee, not a bad injury but something that was mistreated and put me out of the game for 18 months. At the time I had 6 months left on my contract, and at Bury, they couldn't afford to carry an injured player. Meanwhile, I am having to maintain my mortgage, working in forests, factories and whatever I can, and trying to get fit as well.

MB: So you have an idea of what the bloke who comes to watch goes through to afford to come to the football?
TD: Oh yeah! When I was injured, I realised that I really do love this game, and everything I was taking for granted. I know it sounds clichéd, but I knew that if I was given the second opportunity, I would make the most of it. I couldn't watch enough football, I was watching 6 or 7 nights a week on telly. I just really wanted to play, but it looked like I was going to have to hang up my boots.

MB: So things were looking quite grim?
TD: I had been out for 18 months, and it was either 1 last roll of the dice and try to have more surgery, and get a second opinion or get on with my life and try to do something else. I got what money I had together; I didn't have the money to see the top specialist, and ended up with his cousin or something. I went in and he said, "I won't know until I get into your knee and see what's wrong with it". I woke up again after surgery and he said, "You'll play again in 9 months".

MB: So you were out of contract, on your own, and you had to find another club?
TD: I was on my own, you see people like Michael Owen complaining with 6 physios around him, and I am having to work 9-5 to pay the mortgage and in the gym in my off hours. It was a real dark 18 months, but as soon as the surgeon said to me "you'll play again in 9 months", I saw some light at the end of the tunnel. I was good to go, rehabbed all the way around, went back to Manchester City, they brought me under their wing, I spent the last 4 months of rehab there.

MB: So how did you end up at Macclesfield then?
TD: I've always lived in Macclesfield and travelled into Manchester, its home Macclesfield, I have a house there. Funnily enough, Asa Hartford, who was my reserve team coach at Man City, was there as assistant to Ian Brightwell. He said, "come down, do a week of pre-season, you'll get a bit of fitness at worst", a week into pre-season I signed a till Christmas. A month later I signed another 2 year deal and never looked back; I played every minute of every game until Shrewsbury bought me. I played there for just shy of 2 years and it was like playing for your home team club, the fans were brilliant and I really enjoyed my time there. It was my second chance at football and I took it gladly, it's the little things that you miss like away games and going on the coach with the lads.

MB: and the banter? I have heard stories of receding hairlines and pig's tails going on here this season.
TD: Yeah, the pig's tail was in my bed, Muzza stays over once in a while.

MB: I was told it ended up in Dean Holden's jeans pocket...
TD: No, Muzza put it in my bed initially.

MB: Sorry, back to the interview before I incriminate you further...
TD: Yes, I had a great time and the gaffer (Paul Simpson) came and said they were interested in taking me. It was a no brainer; I couldn't wait to come here.

MB: What about tomorrows match, are you hoping you have done enough to be involved again?
TD: We have prepared so far for it, if we can get a result there and get 4 points out of this week; it won't be too bad and will put us in a good position.

Marcus Braddock