Madison Lloyd on ACL comeback: “It’s made me a lot stronger today”

Cast your mind back to the 2023/24 season. Cardiff City youngster Madison Lloyd was one of the brightest, if not the brightest prospect coming through in the Adran U19’s League.

33 goals across the U19’s season in just 18 games, Lloyd also made 7 appeaarances in the first team for City, scoring five times in all competitions, including four in one game.

Training with the first team last year for pre-season, it looked as though Lloyd would be a regular feature for the Bluebirds in the Genero Adran Premier. However, as we’ve seen recently in some of the biggest leagues in the world, an Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) injury would prevent what was destined to be a breakout season for Lloyd in senior football.

It kept the striker out for the whole of last season. With that said, it makes it even better to see the form Lloyd has hit this season for Pontypridd United, and to be back to her best, knowing what she’s been through.

Speaking on the Adran Leagues Show, Lloyd told her story to Cymru Sport.

She explained: “We were training the week before the league was starting. I took a shot on goal, and it didn’t feel right.

“I went over to the physio at the time (Aimi Healey-Bracher), and we didn’t think there anything serious going on.

“Things swelled up a lot. The next morning I thought I was okay, was going to keep training and see how it is. We’re all our worst enemies, we all think we’re fine and we might not be.

“I went and trained and we went into the first drill and it completely went, and that’s when I knew. It wasn’t even the pain it was just knowing that something really wrong has gone on.

“I had a scan and we found out the next week the results of it. Obviously I was heartbroken. I knew this was going to be a bit of a come through season for me. I had a really good pre-season.

“But when I look back now it’s made me a lot stronger, and I wouldn’t be who I am today if that didn’t happen.”

Whilst ACL injuries are so common across all leagues, it can be hard to recover and even find the initial surgery required in Wales, with limited resources available. Many players still are yet to get that surgery years on, and some players haven’t yet returned to playing.

Lloyd spoke about her recovery, and how there was a real doubt she wouldn’t return to football.

She said: “The first three weeks of recovery is hard. Anyone who’s gone through it will understand what I say with that.

“You’re pretty much bed bound. You’re not able to do anything. I wasn’t allowed to weight burn until six weeks after my op. The first two weeks I did nothing.

“I remember sitting in my bed, and I was like ‘dad I think I’m done, I’m never going to be able to kick a ball again’, and it was tough, it emotionally and mentally drained me, and obviously physically it does.

“Getting back to that physical strength it is hard but just knowing where you could be in a year’s time, it is worth it.”

Over a year on, Madison Lloyd is one of the most in-form players in the league, despite Pontypridd United’s struggles in the Adran Premier this season. 11 goals in all competitions after 14 games, the 18-year-old is finally having that earned breakthrough season she craved.

The main thing for Lloyd though, is to be back playing the game she loves, and to have that opportunity with Pontypridd.

She explained: “It’s been a really good opportunity for me. I’m really grateful to have got as many minutes as I have.

“I was going there without the pressure and just being able to play for me, and to get back in the swing of things.

“Before my injury I didn’t have a lot of senior experience. So going there and playing all the teams that are in the same league as Cardiff, it’s been really helpful, and it’s allowed me to get my physicality back up.

“My end goal is to be back with Cardiff. I want to do well enough to compete for the jersey there, and obviously just keep scoring.”