Neil Taylor has been seeing a sports psychologist to help speed up his return …

Neil Taylor has been seeing a sports psychologist to help speed up his return from injury

Neil Taylor has revealed how speaking to a psychologist helped him overcome his horrific ankle injury.

The Swansea defender had been expected to spend the rest of the season on the sidelines after breaking and dislocating his ankle in a challenge with Sunderland's Craig Gardner in September.

But the Wales international made excellent progress in his recovery and returned to the first-team squad as an unused substitute in Saturday's goalless draw with Southampton.

However, his rehabilitation was not solely based on physical recuperation, and Taylor has spoken of how he turned to psychologist Dr Ian Mitchell, a senior lecturer in sports psychology at Cardiff Metropolitan University, who also played professionally at Hereford.

The 24-year-old told the club's official website: "I've tried to explore every single avenue there is in terms of aiding my comeback.

"I'd spoken with quite a few people within the club and I decided it would be good idea if I went to see someone (head physio) Kate Rees knew.

"It was all about talking about the injury, how I felt, the thought of going into a 50-50 challenge and the possibility of it happening again. But it was also about positive thinking too.

"I am mentally strong anyway, and the psychologist told me I didn't need to see him much because he realised very early on how I am as a person.

"But it was worth it. I wanted to do every possible thing to help myself return quicker than anticipated, and that was a part of it.

"I'm glad I did it, because it has been part of the process which has got me to where I am today."

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