AFTER INJURY KO, ACE STEVENS JUST WANTS A DECENT SHOT AT LGE ONE

MATTY Stevens has all the motivation he needs to fire AFC Wimbledon to promotion this season – he wants a proper crack at League One.

- John Lyons

Back in 2021-22, Stevens was on fire for Rob Edwards’ Forest Green in League Two. He’d already netted 23 goals in 37 games for rampant Rovers as they sought promotion to the third tier, but then disaster struck.

He suffered an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in early April and missed the run-in as Forest Green hung on to clinch the title.

Worse still, he was then absent up until Christmas of the following season as Rovers – who had lost boss Edwards to Watford and a host of their promotion winners – struggled in League One.

He made a handful of league appearances before returning to League Two in a loan spell with Walsall, scoring just once in 17 appearances.

He then netted 11 times last term in all competitions as a battered and bruised Forest Green slumpGOOD TIMES: Matty Stevens, right, in action for Forest Green Roversed to a second successive relegation, losing their coveted EFL spot in the process.

From a massive high to a massive low, Stevens – who turned 27 on Wednesday – knows how quickly football fortunes can change.

“I was on top of my game when I got the injury so it was very frustrating,” he told The FLP after netting twice for AFC Wimbledon in their 3-0 win against ten-man Crewe at Plough Lane on Tuesday night. “I felt like I’d score every time I stepped onto the pitch.

“It’s probably one of the worst injuries you can do and I was out for nine months. To see the boys go into pre-season and get ready to play against some massive clubs in League One hurt.”

Respect