"I'm actually okay with it," insists the centre-back, who announced his retirement at the end of August, ten months after his left ankle grotesquely gave way during a Premier League match for Sheffield United against Fulham at Craven Cottage.
"If I was younger and something like this had happened, it would have been hard to come to terms with. I think I would have been pretty worried about the future, maybe scarred by what happened.
I don't know... I just think it would have been horrific.
"Don't get me wrong, it's still hard to take because I thought I would have carried on for a lot longer. But I've had a good career. I've got great memories. And it's not like there was a difficult decision to make it was obvious to me and everyone else that I was never going to play elite football again."
Basham has endured four surgeries since that fateful day in west London, with a fifth and hopefully final -operation to come at the end of this month.
"I knew it was bad when I did it but I just didn't think recovery would have taken this long," he admits.
"When they said 18 months I thought 'Well, maybe a year', but it took me so long to get walking again, absolutely ages. I still can't run, and I haven't worn a pair of boots since it happened.
"Obviously you miss playing and training. But it's the everyday things as well. Driving. Messing around with the kids in the back garden, playing a round of golf. I don't think people realise how tough it is when that stuff gets taken away.
Denne historien er fra September 08, 2024-utgaven av The Football League Paper.
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Denne historien er fra September 08, 2024-utgaven av The Football League Paper.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
Pride at the park is perfect for Paul
EVERYONE deserved a pat on the back was Paul Warne’s verdict as his Derby County side hung on for all three points.
ACE HARRIS NETS TOP AWARD WITH GOAL RUSH
STRIKER Mark Harris has led the Oxford United assault on the second tier – and now it’s landed him the Sky Bet Championship Player of the Month award for August.
SEASIDE LATE SHOW GIVES BRUCE BUZZ
IN HIS first match back in football, new Blackpool boss Steve Bruce admitted this was a tense encounter.
CLEMENCE GETS BLUEBIRDS TO
BARROW boss Stephen Clemence was delighted with his side’s multi faceted performance as they beat Grimsby to continue their strong league start.
KARL FUMES DESPITE LATE SUB HEROICS
KARL Robinson was delighted to see Salford City come back from behind to beat Cheltenham Town thanks to Hakeeb Adelakun’s second-half brace.
PATIENCE REQUIRED OVER NEW BOY ALZATE
HULL City boss Tim Walter says fans will have to wait to see “perfect” midfielder Steven Alzate unleashed on the Championship
DOM AIMS TO HAVE A BALL AT THE O'S...
DOM Ball is eager to use all his experience to help Leyton Orient achieve ‘something special’ this season.
DEL-BOY IS CUSHTY FOR CLEVERLEY
ALTHOUGH it needed a second-half strike from Tom Dele-Bashiru to rescue a point for Watford against Coventry, Hornets’ relieved head coach Tom Cleverley was determined not to point the finger at his slow-starting players.
MACKEMS' PERFECT RECORD IS ROO-INED
WAYNE Rooney expressed his delight after his first Championship win as Plymouth Argyle boss came by beating previously unbeaten leaders Sunderland at the death.
Spanish starlet is seizing his big chance
SUNDERLAND'S failure to sign an established striker this summer left fans apoplectic, but Eliezer Mayenda is doing his best to quell the dissent.
