West Brom defender Dara O'Shea said it was "amazing" to return from a fractured ankle despite their 2-1 defeat at Middlesbrough on Tuesday.
The 22-year-old sustained the injury in the Republic of Ireland's World Cup qualifier with Portugal last September.
Tuesday was O'Shea's first start in almost six months, having made a five-minute cameo in West Brom's 2-0 loss at Sheffield United on 9 February.
"Obviously, it's amazing to be back out there," he told BBC Radio WM.
"As soon as you get injured everything changes. Everything is taken away from you.
"There's been a lot of long days in the gym with the physios, they've been excellent to get me back to where I was.