South Shields Women’s star promises to be back “better and stronger”

A broken collarbone has forced South Shields Women star Sophie Greener to step back and reflect, but now she is more motivated than ever for her return.

[Sophie Greener celebrating for South Shields Women FC – Curtesy of Craig McNair, ID Event Photography] 

From playing football weekly for a decade, to spending nights waiting for a surgery appointment, Sophie Greener is awaiting her return to the pitch after two minutes on the field led to three clean breaks in her collarbone. 

But despite the poor fortune leading to this incident, Greener is “more eager than ever” to safely recover and get back to playing the game that she loves. 

A half-time substitution saw Greener’s introduction in a cameo for South Shields in a 6-2 victory at The Brewery Field against Spennymoor Town Ladies.

However, a crunching challenge led to an early exit for the forward. 

She was rushed to hospital and heard the dreaded confirmation she’d suffered a broken collarbone. The South Shields star was left with only one option; surgery. 

After waiting over ten days, her operation date came around. 

Now hungry for her return, Greener has opened up about the physical and mental toll of the injury that has halted her blossoming career; and most inspiringly, the positive attitude she is upkeeping to get back to kicking a ball. 

“I think the hardest part is not being able to do simple things,” she said. “I feel like I’ve lost my independence, but I’ve accepted that it’s a long road before I’m fully healed. 

“I’m taking everything slow to make sure I recover properly so there’s no risk of needing another operation.” 

[Sophie Greener and teammates in a huddle. Curtesy of Craig McNair, ID Event Photography]   

The injury happened in under 160 seconds of the second half, when a tempting attack was destroyed by a sliding centre-back. 

“I believe I was very unlucky to break my collarbone. The fall wasn’t bad; it was the way I landed which was awful. Usually when I have been fouled, I just get straight back up,” she explained, “I couldn’t on this occasion and that’s when I knew, and the team knew, it was bad. 

“I was taken straight to hospital where straight away they confirmed it was snapped; they then sent me for an x-ray and explained that the bone had broken into three pieces. 

“Hearing the doctor confirm that I’d broken it made my heart drop. I was gutted.” 

A lengthy wait for a surgery appointment, with a sling and prescribed painkillers, left the Mariners without one of their assets. 

But now, after surgery, Greener is more than ready to get back to playing. 

“Since surgery I feel like I’m recovering well. Football is sometimes an escape from reality, for me.  I go to football and just forget about all other problems, so to not be able to do that has been difficult. 

“Not playing has affected me both mentally and physically, football is all I’ve known for about ten years, so it’s been hard to adapt to not playing at all. From training and playing three times a week, to then not at all is massive. 

“I can’t wait to be back on the pitch. It will take some time to build my fitness back up, but I’m prepared for it. 

“This set back has made me more eager than ever to get back and work harder. I know I will be back better and stronger.”