What Ollie Arblaster has said to Sheffield United as he nears return - It’s emotional | OneFootball

Ollie Arblaster has been out for over a year now with an ACL injury, but he's nearing a return shortly

Sheffield United midfielder Ollie Arblaster has now missed a year of action due to the ACL injury he picked up in the Steel City derby last November.

The 21-year-old has had a year full of setbacks, from having to watch from the sidelines as his boyhood club fell just short of promotion in May, to then seeing his recovery timeline pushed back multiple times.

Arblaster was set to return in August, before a setback pushed his return date to September, and then again to November. However, that seems to be the last of the bad news, as the Blades' midfielder is expected to be fit in time for the derby clash with Sheffield Wednesday after the international break.

It's been an emotional past 12 months for the promising midfielder, and with his time on the shelf finally nearing an end, Arblaster took to Instagram to send a message to the Blades fans.

Ollie Arblaster's message to the Sheffield United fans

Arblaster seemingly had the world at his feet this time last year. Having excelled in League One with Port Vale on loan at the start of the 2023/24 campaign, the 21-year-old was recalled and thrust in at the deep end of the Premier League with Sheffield United.

The Blades had a truly terrible campaign two years ago, but the emergence of a then-20-year-old star resembled a rare bright spark.

Having started the final 11 games of the campaign and captaining the club on occasion, he continued that momentum into the opening stages of the following Championship season. Many argued that he was one of the best in his position before he suffered this year-long injury.

As his injury passed a full year on November 10, Arblaster sent a message via his Instagram story reflecting on his time away from the pitch.

"365 days on since the biggest blow of my life," he said.

"12 months that have brought me plenty of awful days along the way with endless nights of pain and tears, but one thing's for sure, it's taught me a hell of a lot.

"Still pushing, and I can't wait to put that shirt on again soon."

Arblaster isn't alone in that final statement, as plenty of Blades fans are eager to see the 21-year-old back on the field shortly. And with the possibility of a return after the international break, when Sheffield United make the inter-city trip to Hillsborough, anticipation is high.

Ollie Arblaster's return couldn't come quickly enough for Sheffield United fans

After a season which so far has been filled with nothing but bad news and disappointment, Blades fans can't wait to see Arblaster back on the pitch.

Not only does it mark the return of a boyhood Blade to the squad, marking a feel-good moment, but the 21-year-old's return may be exactly what Chris Wilder's side needs to give the club a boost up the table.

Despite performances improving since Wilder made his return to the dugout for a third spell, Sheffield United are still cut adrift in the bottom three, and many still criticise how easy it can be to play through them at times.

Having someone like Arblaster back in the centre of the park, a proven leader at such a young age, will only do Sheffield United's prospects of getting back up the Championship table good, especially if he can continue where he left off this time last year.

There'll be some worries that a year-long injury at his age could be detrimental to his progress, but Blades fans will be right behind him, hoping that this won't be the case.