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Now the 25-year-old is hoping to put his injury nightmare behind him after making his long-awaited comeback for Cambridge United on Tuesday night.

May, who had been out since October 8, 2022, following an ACL injury sustained against Bristol Rovers, admitted he was ‘rusty’ during the U’s’ 2-0 EFL Trophy defeat at the hands of Peterborough – a game he started.

There were, understandably, some nerves, too, from the midfielder who made 30 first-team appearances for the Blues before his Fratton Park departure on a free transfer in 2020.

However, May was simply happy to be back in the thick of the action and doing what he does best – playing football. Even if it was for only 45 minutes, which was agreed with Cambridge boss Mark Bonner pre-match.

‘I'm absolutely buzzing to be back out there and just want to keep going now. It's been really tough,’ he told BBC Radio Cambridgeshire.

‘Once you step over the white line, all the nerves go away and you just go into football mode. I had been a little bit nervous beforehand but was positive when I went out there, tried to do everything I could and came through the 45 minutes like I wanted to.

‘(There were) Some good bits, some bad bits, I'm going to be a little bit rusty, it's been a year. But the main thing was getting the 45 minutes into my legs.’

Adam May made 30 first-team appearances for Pompey following his graduation from the Blues' youth ranks.

The runout was May’s 113th game for Cambridge as he attempts to re-establish him importance to the Abbey Stadium outfit.

That was something he had achieved long before injury struck against the Gas – a game that was already his 16th of the 2022-23 season.

Indeed, it came just months after penning a new three-year deal with the U’s, with whom he helped guide from League Two in 2020-21.

Cambridge – who currently sit sixth in the League One table after last season’s battle to avoid relegation – will want to tread carefully with May over the weeks and months ahead.

Former Pompey Academy graduate Adam May returned to action for Cambridge United on Tuesday night after nearly a year away from the game because of an ACL injury

However, on the horizon – October 24 – is a game against former employers Pompey at the Abbey Stadium.

And, no doubt. that’s a date that will be circled in May’s calendar following his emergence from the Blues’ youth ranks.

Former Portsmouth youngster emerges from injury nightmare as he makes long-awaited Cambridge United comeback