Former Leeds United player was concerned about his future.

Sunderland defender Niall Huggins has revealed how he feared for his career during his injury nightmare at present club Sunderland, as reported in the Sunderland Echo.

Huggins came through the ranks at Leeds United before joining Sunderland in the summer of 2021 and he has been a regular in Tony Mowbray’s side this term as they go in search of a second successive playoff finish. The fullback has had to be patient for his opportunity in the first team thanks to a stress fracture in his back that he sustained shortly after leaving Elland Road.

Huggins underwent months of treatment and had to overcome so issues related to the initial injury before finally being able to complete a full pre-season this summer and working his way to being a regular in the starting eleven. Included in his 13 games so far this season has been his first senior goal in Sunderland’s 2-0 victory against Watford and the York-born player has been rewarded with a call-up to Rob Page’s Wales squad for their matches with Armenia and Turkey.

The near two-year lay-off has left Huggins delighted with his comeback but he admits that he still finds it difficult when he looks back to his long spell out of football, particularly as there was little explanation as to what the problems were after the back fracture. The defender admits the feeling of being called up to the Welsh squad is an ‘amazing’ feeling after making an excellent start to the campaign with the Mackems.