1st XI goalkeeper Charlie Walsh is on the long road to recovery following the horrific knee injury he sustained when colliding with a post during the League defeat at Charterhouse in late March.

The 24 year-old, who had struggled with a weak knee prior to the incident, collapsed on the ground in agony as he dived to tip a shot around his far post. He was taken to hospital in Guildford and later allowed home but underwent surgery on the knee on July 1st.

Such was the severity of the injury and the nature of the operation that his entire leg was placed in a zero degree brace and he was on elbow crutches for the majority of the summer. Regular doses of morphine helped ease the considerable pain.

Charlie was able to begin his rehab on July 15th with the start of regular physio sessions - something most players dread but not in Charlie's case: 'My physio is quite fit' he told ohafc.com, 'I keep asking her to show me how to do all the exercises over and over again, I hope she doesn't realise.'

Although there is no return date yet pencilled in, Charlie is determined to return to action in OHAFC colours, despite some misgivings from his family, keen to prevent him suffering a recurrence of the injury.

'I will always have a weak knee but the operation should have reduced the chances of it going again - I have bought a cycle machine for my home gym so I'm hoping to get thighs like Lou Ferrigno (the actor who played the Incredible Hulk)'.

Charlie has vowed that when he does return his kicking will be better than ever - hopefully he will get a chance to prove this sooner rather than later.