Stuart Dallas has admitted that the Leeds United squad still thought he was going to return to playing before his retirement.
The Northern Irish international fractured his femur in a Premier League match against Manchester City in April 2022, but was unable to make it back to full fitness due to the severity of the injury.
Speaking on the Fozcast podcast, as shared on Instagram (23 October), Dallas discussed his career-ending injury, and what the mood was at Thorp Arch in the days leading up to his decision on 10 April.
Dallas said: “I’ll be honest with you; I don’t think the players knew how serious the injury was.
“Even up until before I retired, players were still thinking I was coming back.
“In my head, I genuinely believed I could get back, but I had mentally prepared myself for (doctors) saying you know, this is the final straw, enough’s enough.”
Stuart Dallas left a mark on Leeds United players past and present
It’s hardly surprising that even when Dallas knew his career was coming to an end, his teammates at Thorp Arch fully expected the 33-year-old to be back in the first-team fold at some point down the track.
That’s likely due to the evidence of just what Dallas was doing on the pitch in the three seasons leading up to his injury, playing whenever, wherever and excelling regardless of his position or circumstance.
A stalwart of the Marcelo Bielsa era, Dallas started all 38 matches of the Argentine’s solitary full season in the Premier League, operating on the flanks of defence and excelling in central midfield.
As a result, maintaining the belief that a player as durable as Dallas would eventually make his way back into playing contention – despite fracturing the biggest bone in his body – is understandable.
The bulk of last season’s squad – minus fellow veterans Liam Cooper and Luke Ayling – are battling for promotion once again this term, and should Daniel Farke’s side achieve their goal, there’ll be no player prouder than Dallas.