Redditch Borough goalkeeper Callum Monaghan is preparing for a fresh FA Vase campaign following a challenging year marked by injury and recovery. A year ago, Monaghan suffered a dislocated ankle during the opening match of the Hellenic League season against Bewdley Town, an injury that forced the game to be abandoned and sidelined him for several months.

Despite the absence of fractures, complications prolonged Monaghan’s recovery, keeping him away from both football and his job in asbestos removal for an extended period. He recounted the difficulty of the early stages, describing how he was initially unable to leave the sofa or climb stairs, followed by six weeks in a cast and three more months in a protective boot. “Just trying to move about was horrible and I couldn’t work either,” he said. Throughout his recovery, he maintained a connection with the team by attending training sessions and matches, crediting support from teammates, founder Julian Workman, physio Charlotte Cooper, and the management for helping him stay motivated.

Since his return after Christmas, Monaghan has adapted to the team’s fixture backlog and shifts in form that resulted in a management change, with Rob Bruce now taking the helm. As one of only four players remaining from last season’s squad, the 22-year-old brings valuable experience to a group characterized as keen but relatively young.

This Saturday, Redditch Borough will face Foley Meir of the North West Counties League Division One South in the first qualifying round of the Isuzu FA Vase. The match will be played away, kicking off at 3 p.m. The club’s previous ventures in the competition ended in disappointment—a 2-1 defeat to Alsager Town last season via an added-time goal, and a 5-2 home loss to Rocester in their only earlier FA Vase appearance a decade ago.

Monaghan is determined to help the club secure its inaugural FA Vase victory and repay the support he received during his injury. “It makes you more grateful for everything,” he said. “Not being able to play in the Vase last season, it will be great to be involved, hopefully get the club’s first win and make a bit of history. We don’t know a lot about them, they’re in a different league, but we will give it everything we’ve got.”