Some dates stay with you for life and Welwyn Garden City striker Brodie Carrington already has one firmly stuck in his mind.

"October 2019 to be exact", when asked how long he has suffered with injury. "That date has haunted me, but it is good to be back out there, it has been a long time out."

The 20-year-old though is fit once again and determined to put the hell behind him and make up for lost time.

To help, he has been sent by City manager Max Mitchell to Baldock Town for three months to build up his fitness, with his first taste of the Reds coming in the pre-season friendly defeat against his parent club at Herns Lane.

"Playing against Welwyn was weird but whatever gets me back playing and getting minutes is all that matters," he said.

"I’m getting there. Seven months ago I was 14 and a half stone. I’m 12 stone nine now so I’m getting the pounds off and I’m counting them day by day but all that matters is I’m playing football.

"Football brings me joy.

"Max wants me to get by confidence back up, get as many goals as I can, get scoring again and get my name back out there.

"Hopefully I can do it for Welwyn when I’m back in November. Hopefully I’ll have proved myself by then and proved enough to get a start for Welwyn."

He might find it tough, with the Citizens' forward line-up putting on a show in the 6-1 victory.

That is just another challenge Carrington is determined to meet head on.

He said: "Competition is good, healthy competition is good and I’m friends with all the strikers.

"All that matters is the team does well and if I can come back and improve on that, great.

"That was the first time with Baldock but the connection will grow, I’m going to get know everybody and when that happens, you start to get to know how everyone plays.

"That’s the learning curve and it may take a couple of games but once I do, we'll get the ball rolling by scoring goals and beating teams.

"A new changing room, a new experience, new players to get to know in new surroundings - it all means I’m not in my comfort zone and I’ve got to prove myself to them and prove Max right."