I'll repay fans - Takumi on the comeback trail (From South Wales Argus)

I'll repay fans - Takumi on the comeback trail

11:34am Wednesday 3rd February 2010

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NEWPORT County manager Dean Holdsworth has been frustrated in his attempts to find a replacement for Ashan Holgate but he may just have the ideal man in the ranks already.

Pre-season matches aside, Japanese winger Takumi Ake’s Exiles career has so far consisted of just 36 minutes on the opening day of the season at Bishop’s Stortford.

The former Team Bath man ruptured his anterior cruciate ligament on a sweltering afternoon in Hertfordshire on August 8 last year as his teammates battled to a 0-0 draw.

It’s been a long and often difficult road back for Ake but after six months of rehabilitation and recuperation, including 10 weeks in his native Osaka, he finally returned to training last week to a joyous reception.

Opening his heart to the Argus, the 25-year-old admits that he feared for his place at the club, and even his future as a player at one stage.

Watching from the other side of the world as County stormed to an astonishing 17-point lead at the top of the Blue Square South without him was clearly a painful experience, even if he was delighted for everyone at the club.

But now he’s desperate to be a part of the promotion push – targeting a return to action against Stortford, of all clubs, on March 13 – and he insists he’s ready to be the ‘new signing’ that can help them over the line.

“I arrived back in the country last Wednesday and had my first training session on Thursday,” said Ake.

“I was a bit worried that everyone would have forgotten me but they welcomed me back and I’m buzzing to be a part of it all again.

“It feels like I’ve done eight months of pre-season now and I can’t wait to get out on the pitch again.

“I can’t really describe how much it will mean to me to play in front of the Newport fans again.

“Their support has been unbelievable and hopefully I can repay them and everyone at the club for that.”

Ake need not worry about the fans forgetting him.

Hundreds paid tribute to him by donning Japanese Rising Sun headbands at Stortford all those months ago and he’s guaranteed a great reception when he does return.

In fact he credits the support of the Exiles fans and Holdsworth for helping him through his dark moments on the sidelines.

“I was devastated when it happened. I’ve never had that kind of injury before. I was in lots of pain and things didn’t go my way all the time.

“I was constantly worried that maybe I wouldn’t be able to come back but the messages of support on Facebook really helped.

“I kept in touch with the gaffer while I was back home as well. We e-mailed each other after every game and I watched the highlights on the club website.

“The team has done fantastically. I was very pleased to see it but I did worry that people would think ‘we don’t need Takumi now’.

“But all those worries went away when I got back last week.”

Recovering from the long-term effects of the injury, the same one suffered by England stars Paul Gascoigne, Alan Shearer and Michael Owen in the past, can take a long time.

It may be some months before Ake is back to his flying best – which he displayed for Team Bath and briefly for County in pre-season matches against Stoke City and Leeds United.

But, while he may be small of stature, the Japanese ace has a huge heart and he’s determined to recapture the form that prompted Holdsworth to swoop for him last June.

“I’m taking it easy at the moment but I’m in good shape,” he insists.

“I’ll be doing proper training in a few weeks and hope to be back in five weeks.

“I have spoken to the gaffer and we are looking at the match at home to Bishop’s Stortford on March 13 for me to return.

“My dream is to play and score at Spytty Park and I hope to be celebrating with the fans in their headbands after that one and again when we clinch promotion.”

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