David Stockdale says he was a moody so-and-so this summer. So do his family.

But he is smiling again now and relishing the chance to get back into Championship action – as well as playing in the garden with his kids.

The Albion goalkeeper has two outings under his belt after recovering from a foot problem which had him playing with painkilling injections last season and necessitated two operations during the close season.

He has revealed how rivals players and former team-mates including Bobby Zamora, Inigo Calderon and Gordon Greer helped keep his spirits up.

And he has thanked those a lot closer to home for putting up with him after the double whammy of a promotion near-miss and an unsuccessful foot operation.

Stockdale told The Argus: “I’ve worked hard to get back and it’s nice to get on the pitch.

“My wife and my kids had to put up with me all that time.

“I spent a lot of time with them. My wife Katie had to look after the moody man, as she says. She actually says something else but I can’t repeat that!

“But she has been there all the times I’ve come back with my tail between my legs, my head down, limping, on crutches. I’ve asked her to run about for me while I’m just moping.

“It’s not nice for the kids sometimes. ‘Why is Daddy moody?’ or ‘Why can’t Dad play outside?’ “Those are the things you have got to come through.

“Most people have got to go to work and do these things so you can’t say anything. That is why it is so refreshing to get out there and play.

The Argus:

David Stockdale played with a painkilling injection in the play-offs

“You are always excited. The first 20 minutes on Saturday were a bit hectic for me because you are out there with your mates, trying to get the feel back.

“But I’m pretty happy with how things have gone.”

Stockdale decided to battle on when a case of Morton’s Neuroma flared after the 2-1 win at MK Dons at the end of March.

Determined not to go under the knife and miss at least four weeks of the run-in, he battled through the final eight Championship games of the season plus the two play-off clashes with Sheffield Wednesday.

Then, after defeat by the Owls, it was off to hospital.

“The condition means your nerve rubs together with your bones. It’s wear and tear,” he said.

“They were supposed to take out 7-10mm (of tissue) but it was 26mm by the time they took it out.

“My first operation was days after the season. There were some complications but I came back early off holiday.

“Basically this summer has been spent in a hospital bed but I have been looked after over at Eastbourne hospital.

“It was nice of them to look after me because I was a bit down after the season and then things going wrong.

The Argus:

“That happens in football and you have to come back. When things weren’t going right with my operation, Bobby Zamora (pictured above) rang me a couple of times to see how I was.

“Bobby still keeps in touch and keeps nice messages coming.

“People who have moved have spoken to me a few times. I’ve spoken to Calde, I spoke to GG the other day. You make friends from the team spirit we had last year.”

It wasn’t just ex-colleagues. And the messages weren’t just because of the injury.

Stockdale believes the cruel end-of-season fate which befell Albion, struck a nerve, so to speak, with players at other clubs.

“Other players have spoken to me about the way we did it, as a team.

“We didn’t just run away with things. We never said we were going to do this or that.

“We kept ourselves to ourselves. The big one is we are a likeable team, people like us. We do the right things on the pitch, say the right things.

“People see us as a good club all round, from Mr Chairman to Paul Barber and right down to Dee. I’m going to call her our tea lady again! We always mention her.”