Doug Tharme says returning to competitive action on Tuesday night provided the final tick in the box after another challenging spell on the sidelines, with the defender now fully focused on helping the Mariners continue their unbeaten start to the League Two season.
Tharme came through 62 minutes against Notts County in the EFL Trophy on Tuesday, making his first competitive start in almost eight months after recovering from injury.
While Town were ultimately beaten 2-1 in the final seconds, the evening represented an important personal milestone for the defender, who feels he can now put the latest chapter of his recovery behind him.
“It was nice to get the minutes ticked off on Tuesday,” Tharme said.
“It was kind of the last thing from the injuries that have lingered, so for me, that’s all out the way now. I’m firmly focused on moving forward.”
Back on the pitch
Tharme has had to navigate a number of injury setbacks during his career, including surgery earlier this year after suffering an injury against Barnet.
Having worked his way back in time to feature in the play-offs against Salford City, he returned for pre-season feeling fit and ready, only to suffer another setback – albeit one that was less severe and did not require surgery.
The latest recovery meant another period of rehabilitation away from his teammates, making Tuesday’s return all the more significant.
“You can forget a little bit what it’s like to actually walk out onto the pitch and play,” he explained.
“You can do all of the simulated stuff in training and you can watch all the clips and try and be as big a part of it as you can, but nothing quite replicates playing.
“To have that ticked off and to have come through the other side, from a personal standpoint, it was that final tick in the box to say, ‘Right, okay, I’m back as far as I’m concerned.’
“Now it’s about bringing value on the pitch as much as I try to offer.”
For Tharme, the experience has also reinforced just how much football means to him.
“When you are fit and playing week in, week out, you maybe don’t appreciate what you’ve got,” he said.
“To have that come back and have family, my wife and my mum and stuff be able to watch me play football again, it’s what I want to be doing.
“It’s everything I dreamed of as a kid and I think the injuries make you appreciate it a little bit more.”
A different perspective
The latest injury was particularly difficult given Tharme had already worked so hard to return from his previous setback.
He admits there was an element of having to manage expectations when reality did not quite match the plans he had set for himself.
“You set high expectations for yourself coming back and then you get the reality check,” he said.
“But football is a great metaphor for life. People will be going through a lot worse stuff than getting injured and getting all the treatment that we get here.
“Everything’s been top tier from everyone. Even though we’ve had a change in medical staff, I think everyone last year was amazing and everyone this year is working so hard.
“Once the sour note leaves your mouth and you’ve picked your head back up, you realise that we are still lucky to be in this position.
“I’m still lucky to be at this club and to have the support that we do.”
Tharme was also quick to praise the work of the club’s medical and performance staff, with Greg and Chase playing an important role in helping him return to action.
“I can’t really say too many good things about both of them, particularly Greg because he helped me last year as well,” he said.
“They have everything prescribed to the metre and you can fight them as much as you want, but they know what’s best for you.
“I’ve not started a competitive game for coming on eight months now and I felt really good in it. I think that’s as much a credit to them as me or anything else.”
Learning from others
The mental challenge of recovering from injury is something Tharme has become increasingly familiar with, but he believes the experiences of those around him have helped him through the difficult periods.
“Other people’s experiences,” he said when asked what had helped him most.
“In football, you’re never far away from someone who’s had an injury the same or they know someone who’s had something.
“You’ve got lads there that have been where you’ve been.
“I remember when I was younger and you’d see someone get injured and the standard that they held themselves to was something that helped me in the first instance.
“You have good days and you have bad days. Everyone has that. But the unique situation in football is that you’ve usually got someone in the same changing room or someone in your contact list that you can phone.
“Anyone that’s given me advice, I’m much appreciative of, and hopefully I can pay that forward.”
Beyond the pitch
That desire to give something back has been particularly evident during Tharme’s latest spell on the sidelines.
The defender has continued to represent the Club away from the pitch, including through his role as the PFA Community Champion and his work with the Grimsby Town Foundation.
From visiting schools to supporting the recent food bank initiative, Tharme has embraced the opportunity to use his position as a first-team player to shine a light on the work being done throughout the local community.
“I think it’s more being a face for the community,” he said.
“What we represent is what people see of the Club.
“It’s not necessarily about what we do, it’s about what we can bring light to. I think the community deserves that representation.”
Tharme believes players have an important role to play as representatives of the football club, particularly given the impact that meeting a professional footballer can have on supporters and young people.
“I remember growing up near Tranmere and having players come to my birthday and knowing the impact that that’s left on me,” he said.
“If I can have that on one person, on two people, on a class of kids or on anyone going to a food bank, then that’s great.
“But again, it’s more about bringing awareness to what the real contributors to the community are, everyone who works at the Foundation.
“It’s about bringing light to their work as opposed to it being about us really.”
Looking beyond football
Tharme has also used his time away from playing to begin thinking about life beyond his playing career.
Having previously graduated with a degree in psychology, he is now beginning further study focused on brain health in football and the experiences of former players.
The defender is working with people within the PFA and hopes to contribute to research into the risks and challenges faced by players both during and after their careers.
“Football’s too important for me now for it not to be the main thing,” he said.
“It is definitely something that’s on the side, but it’s something that in the future I’d like to have a big part in.”
Ready for Newport
Attention now turns to Saturday’s trip to Newport County, with Town looking to extend their unbeaten League Two start.
Tharme knows the Mariners will face a competitive test at Rodney Parade, but believes the squad’s ability to contribute collectively has been one of the key strengths of the opening weeks.
“The lads have done incredibly well in the league this year,” he said.
“Obviously we’re unbeaten, we’ve had quite a few clean sheets and I think that’s what we really want to build on.
“We know how good we can be in possession, we know we’re going to create chances and we’ve been creating a lot of chances.
“But I think really the way everyone’s working together, and there’s not really been one fixed team as such, everyone’s had to contribute.
“Everyone that’s come in understands the role and understands what they need to be doing.”
Newport’s threat from set pieces will also be a key consideration, with Tharme stressing the importance of trusting teammates and carrying out individual responsibilities.
“Whatever your role is, it’s focusing on that’s your job,” he said.
“Do your job well. Trust the teammate around you to do their job well.
“Ultimately, we play at a high standard of football and there can be moments of quality that shine through. But if you’re in the right place at the right time with the right intention, set pieces are something that you can be really competitive for.
“It’s a mixture of staff preparation and then the intentionality behind it from the lads.”
And with his latest injury chapter now behind him, Tharme is simply looking forward to getting back to doing what he enjoys most.
Nothing, as he puts it, replaces playing football.
You can watch Doug’s full pre-match interview here:
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