STEPHEN Humphrys wants to be reunited with the mask he wore to become a Roots Hall hero.

A year ago today, Humphrys fired home a late winner against Sunderland to keep Southend United in League One.

But the striker had the mask he wore to protect 15 broken bones in his face taken in the aftermath of the victory.

And Humphrys is keen to get it back.

“I was doing an interview for Sky after the game and I had the mask in my hand when all of a sudden someone grabbed it out of my hand and ran off,” recalled Humphrys.

“So to the person who has that mask, please can I have it back?!”

Humphrys came off to the bench to the score one of the most celebrated goals in Blues’ recent history.

And the 22-year-old had predicted he would hit the back of the net in the do-or-die final day showdown.

“I remember waking up in the morning and I just had a feeling that we’d be able to do it,” said Humphrys.

“I know it sounds like I’m lying but I said to my mum, who was in the crowd that day, I’m going to come on and score the winner and when I do I’m going to run over to you and knee slide right in front of you.

“I think I only half believed it would happen.

“But when it did, it was the best feeling I’d ever experienced in football.”

However, just three months earlier Humphrys had suffered sickening facial injuries while scoring at Accrington Stanley.

And the striker was still nowhere near full fitness when he returned against the Black Cats.

“My fitness was terrible,” said Humphrys.

“I was literally bed bound for six weeks after my operation.

“After that I went straight back in to training. I remember I was doing a warm up and I threw up because my heart was beating that fast.

“It’s the most unfit I’d ever felt.

“I think I trained for two days before I came on against Fleetwood and then I started the next match against Wycombe.

“I ran around for the first five minutes purely on adrenaline and then I just crashed.

“I remember thinking to myself, I’m just no use to anyone here.

“I was quite upset and I just felt useless.”

Humphrys did not feature again for three weeks before the Sunderland clash which he went into with words of wisdom from his dad.

“I remember my dad telling me before the game, as he does before every game, just get in the box, don’t worry about anything else when your team is attacking other than getting in the box,” said Humphrys.

“He does it because I’m the type of player who wants to get the ball to feet and create my own goal, rather than sprint in the box and get the less attractive goals.

“I don’t know why but coming to feet is just more natural to me and I think that’s because I was a central midfielder until I was about 15.”

However, was in the right place at the right time to fire home when it mattered the most.

“I got in the box against Sunderland but I felt tired and lethargic,” said Humphrys.

“To be honest I wasn’t even concentrating on the game, I was just thinking ‘god I’m shattered’.

“I’d only been on the pitch for about 10 minutes but then all of a sudden the ball just landed at my feet.

“The only way I can describe it, is it’s like when someone pretends to throw something at you, you flinch and turn away without even thinking.

“It was just like that, but I just thought ‘oh there’s the ball, score the goal’ and that’s probably the best way I can describe it really.”

Blues have been unable to build on their great escape act and endured another season of struggle before the coronavirus pandemic brought the season to a halt in March.

But the break in proceedings has enabled Humphrys to work his way back to full fitness having again broken his nose, this time at Doncaster Rovers in January.

“Fitness wise I feel great,” said Humphrys.

“I’ve lost 5kg since my operation because I’ve been running and biking six days a week.

“I’ve been doing 5k runs and 20 mile bike rides to get my fitness up and lose some weight.

“The problem for me is never fat, my body fat is always around nine per cent which is great but I need to lose some muscle which I am doing now.

“That should help me when I get on the pitch to be able to last longer in games.”

And Humphrys has no issues with his nose.

“My nose is fine now and I can breathe perfectly again,” said the former Fulham forward.

“It’s so much more comfortable to be able to run and actually use my nose to breathe through rather than having my mouth open.

“Overall, I’m feeling good and whatever happens with regards to the season returning or not, I feel good and ready to return when it’s safe to do so.”