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A smile creeps across the face of Jon Flanagan as he recalls a moment he will always treasure.

All those dark days and nights, all those crushing setbacks on the long road back to fitness were forgotten as the young Liverpool defender finally stepped back on to the hallowed turf.

It was in the 51st minute of last week’s FA Cup replay with Exeter City that the Academy graduate finally made his comeback - some 619 days after his previous appearance against Newcastle United, His return to duty was accompanied by a thunderous Anfield ovation.

“It was just a brilliant reception,” Flanagan said.

“I wasn’t expecting that and it hit home that the fans are all behind me. It was a bit emotional for me.

“It has been a terrible time for me throughout the injury but now to be back is just a great feeling. It’s a relief to be back out there playing.”

Flanagan, a lifelong Red whose popularity on the Kop has continued to blossom since his fearless debut against Manchester City in 2011, felt that backing from supporters throughout the struggles of the past two years as he underwent two operations on his left knee.

“It has been great. All the fans have been behind me and I couldn’t have got through it without them,” he said.

“It was always going to be mentally tough. I got told I wasn’t going to be out for as long as I was and to keep going for the length of time I have been out it is hard to get your head around.

“You always have your moments, but you just have to stay positive. I think I am a strong character. You cannot go around with your head down feeling sorry for yourself, you have to pick yourself up and stay positive really. I always knew that I would overcome it.”

Flanagan is on a mission to get back to where he was prior to his world being turned upside down in the summer of 2014.

The full-back’s outstanding club form as Liverpool went agonisingly close to landing the Premier League title was rewarded with an England debut against Ecuador in Miami. He was placed on standby for the World Cup finals in Brazil.

But his problems began when he was hampered by fluid on his knee during the pre-season tour of America. He was sent for surgery in September 2014 but hopes of a return last season were dashed as he went under the knife again in April 2015 to repair cartilage in the joint.

“It was all going so well,” he recalled.

“It was disappointing given the stage I was at and with the England call up and all that. It was a great experience going away to Miami and making my debut.

“It was just a cartilage injury and it dragged on a bit. I was unfortunate that I had to have a second operation which was the reason why I was out for so long.

“It was very frustrating. You always want to be there to help out and from that season when we nearly won the title to go on to not doing so well was frustrating for me as both a fan and a player. It has been disappointing but hopefully I am through that. I just want to get back to that level now.”

The rehab was gruelling but the 23-year-old full-back feels a debt of gratitude to the club staff who helped to guide him through it.

(Image: 2016 Getty Images)

Long, tough road to recovery

“They were long days, tough days,” he said.

“I would be in at 8am and do a morning CV session with the lads in the gym, a bit of treatment and then all the gym work after that. I was here until 5pm or 6pm each day.

“When all the other lads are coming in, going training and getting off within three hours, it was tough mentally.

“Matt Konopinski (physio) has been working with me every day and the two lads from the gym, Jordan Milsom (rehab fitness coach) and Dave Rydings (strength and rehabilitation assistant), have also been a massive help.

“I can only thank them. It has not been easy for them at times. I can be difficult at times!

“You are always going to have those days when you are going to be frustrated and not in the mood and those three lads have been brilliant to me. They kept me going really.”

Away from Melwood, his dad John, who was on Liverpool’s books himself as a teenager before being released, kept his chin off the floor.

“My dad always drilled that home,” he said. “He had his chance at Liverpool and he knew what went wrong. He had a few injuries but the main thing was his attitude.

“He just keeps hammering it home saying you don’t know how lucky you are. He gets me going to be honest.

“He has been a massive influence on my career. Every day when it wasn’t going well and you are frustrated he was always there to speak to and give me advice. He is always making me positive and thinking in the right way. A year ago he did his ankle, a compound fracture, and was on crutches for a while so I was helping him for a while too.”

Having come through unscathed on his comeback against Exeter, Flanagan was handed his first start for 20 months by Jurgen Klopp in Tuesday’s Capital One Cup semi-final second leg with Stoke.

It proved to be a triumphant night as the Reds sneaked through to Wembley on penalties. Klopp crowned Flanagan, who got through 105 minutes, as his man of the match and during the celebrations in front of the TV cameras he pointed to the full-back to underline his contribution.

(Image: 2016 Getty Images)

Klopp's man of the match award 'brilliant'

“To see that was just brilliant,” Flanagan said.

“A nice gesture like that keeps me upbeat. A manager like him recognises the struggle I have been through.

“When he brought me off I said I could carry on but he said we needed fresh legs. The physios advised me to play 60 minutes and when the board went up the physios were all like ‘great, he’s coming off’ and then it said Kolo Toure’s number. I got through it okay, I was stiff on Wednesday but it was all good.”

Flanagan is hoping to retain his place for Saturday’s FA Cup fourth round tie with West Ham at Anfield. He is out of contract at the end of the season and is determined to earn himself a new deal.

He grew up just a few hundred yards from Anfield on nearby Utting Avenue and joined the club’s Academy at the age of 11. That passion shines through every time he pulls on the shirt.

With Steven Gerrard gone, Liverpool are in need of a new Scouse heartbeat and Flanagan wants to prove that he can provide it.

“As a kid I always supported the club and living that close when I didn’t go the game I could hear the cheers from my house,” he said.

“I used to go up to the shops by the ground with my mates for a kick about. It was always a dream of mine to play there one day.

“There’s that connection with the fans because I am a local lad and I love the club and I would do anything for the club, I am like one of them really.

“It does bring a bit of pressure but it’s something I would love to take on. I would love that pressure. There is Jordan Rossiter and Connor Randall there as well but yes I would love to have a great connection with the fans and take that pressure on.

“With some long term injuries, people never get a chance again. But the lads here have all seen how hard I have worked. I think I want it more than anyone else so thankfully I have got that chance again.

“There are a lot of full-backs here but hopefully I can impress enough to get a spot, left or right. I feel confident that the injuries are behind me now and I want to win silverware. I want to make up for lost time.”