Derby County Women: Megan Tinsley makes 'emotional' return following heart scare

Derby County play in the third tier of English women's football

Derby County defender Megan Tinsley says resuming her playing career after a year out because of a heart condition has been "amazing and emotional".

The 25-year-old now plays football with an implantable loop recorder (ILR) placed in her chest to monitor her heart rhythm and rate.

She has started two of the first three games for the Ewes this season.

Tinsley said her absence away from the pitch became frustrating at times but admits "it was the right thing to do".

Tinsley previously revealed that she initially ignored chest pains when playing, but the memory of seeing Christian Eriksen collapse at Euro 2020, after suffering a cardiac arrest, eventually prompted her to see a doctor.

Stepping back onto the pitch after a year out, she said: "It felt amazing, I can't really describe how it felt, it was quite emotional.

"It's really hard to put into words how you've worked for something so hard for a year and then you get back out there. It's as almost as if nothing happened in that year, it just feels totally normal again."

Tinsley has gradually become familiar to having an ILR in her day to day life, as well as playing with one.

"Over time it will embed itself into the skin, to be honest the only reminder that's there is a tiny little scar," she said.

"Sometimes I can feel it if I lay on a certain side, but other than that it doesn't bother me."

'You have to put health first'

At the age of three, Tinsley was diagnosed with atrial septal defect (ASD) - a condition in which there is a hole between the two collecting chambers of the heart.

Tinsley says until last year she never struggled with the condition.

Despite not playing at all in the 2022-23 season, she was still involved with the team by showing her support off the pitch.

"I struggled at the start if I'm being honest," she said on BBC Radio Derby's Rams Daily podcast.

"It was really hard because you want to carry on doing your normal day to day thing that you've been doing since I was six.

"For it to be taken away from you, but for the right reasons, took a big toll because I almost didn't want to be around football at that point and I didn't want to be involved with any of it.

"However, another part of me was thinking, 'no just go and do it and ill regret not going to support the girls'."

With the support of Derby coaches and team-mates, Tinsley hopes she can return to full match fitness and confirm herself as regular starter for manager Sam Griffiths.

"I can now prove that I've been missed, in terms of the left-back position," she said.

"I want to do a tackle and make people think, 'yeah she's back'."