West Ham United defender James Tomkins was delighted to be back for their 2-2 draw with Stoke City.
The Hammers fought back from going 2-0 down to earn a point.
"Going 2-0 down was a disappointment, but to show the character [to come back] shows the team spirit and the confidence," Tomkins told whufc.com.
"We never doubted ourselves even though we did go 2-0 down. It's a hard place to come to, so it felt like a win in the end to get a point. It's a good result.
"It obviously caught me by surprise with Reidy going off, but you have to come on and start [from the off]. Stoke started well and had the momentum, so you've got to be ready for it.
"It was nice to get back out there. It was my first time back in the squad and I felt like I put a good shift in considering the circumstances."
