CHERRIES youngster Charlie Seaman credited the club’s medical department after his return from a “freak accident”.

The full-back played 24 games for National League Eastleigh earlier this season, before backheeling a ball in training with the Spitfires left him nursing a hamstring injury.

But having made his first competitive appearance since New Year’s Day – now with new loan club Maidstone – former West Ham man Seaman was happy to get up and running.

He told the club website: “The (Cherries) staff were great in trying to get me back.

“They probably hated me because I was always on at them to try to get me back quicker than I should!

“I played 24 games at Eastleigh in the first half of the season and played pretty well when I was there.

“I got injured in my last training session with them. It was a freak accident. Between sets of games in a session, I went to backheel a ball and pulled my hamstring. Normally, you do it running or sprinting.

“It was the worst time possible to do it because I didn’t know whether I was staying there or going somewhere else.

“I had never really been injured before, so it was going to happen at some point. The only problem I had with it was the timing but these things happen.”

Seaman came off the bench for the final 17 minutes of the Stones’ 3-0 defeat to Eastbourne Borough in National South.

The defender said: “It was good of Maidstone to sign me in the transfer window because it’s not easy for a club to sign an injured player.

“But they said they wouldn’t have any problem signing me and for me to join them when I was fit which is why I wanted to get back so quickly.”

Seaman, who signed his first professional contract with Cherries in 2018, has also featured for the likes of Dundee United and Weymouth in previous loan spells.