Little delighted to return

Winger takes a significant step on the road to recovery

Last updated: 26th March 2008

Glen Little Reading winger

Little: Delighted

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Reading winger Glen Little took a significant step on the road to recovery by playing for the Royals' reserves at Fulham on Tuesday night.

The 32-year-old, who has been out for almost a year with an Achilles problem, played for 30 minutes and came out unscathed in the 2-0 defeat.

He was delighted to be playing once again and is now looking to improve his fitness.

He told the club's official website: "I was so glad to be out there, you just can't believe it. It's been so long. It's almost a year but I still kept believing.

Footballer again

"There were some dark days with the frustration and disappointment, but I'm back out there and I feel like a footballer again after that.

"All I need now is the fitness. I've only been training the last two weeks, and I had a hamstring niggle that set me back a few days, otherwise maybe I would have started the game.

"I was happy to get through it, I had a couple of runs, some touches, some passes and I'm alright, I'm ready to go when I get back to training again on Thursday now. I can train for the next few days, then get to the next reserve game and go from there."

He added: "Normally reserve games can be slow but it was quite frantic. I was a bit worried coming on, it was 100mph! Fulham had a bit of pace up front, it was a tough night for our defenders and it was a proper game.

Good touches

"I got a couple of good touches early, Jon Fearn had said to me to not do anything stupid and play in your own time, but when the little give and gos are there you want to get on the ball, get it moving, keep passing and play!

"I was back with Murts (Graeme Murty) out there, it must be years since he's played for the reserves and it was like the old days and I can feel like a footballer again.

"The one thing I wanted to do was get myself back on that coach after the game and be fine for training for Thursday."

The winger has been on the sidelines since the Royals' 1-0 defeat at Tottenham in April last year.

He initially attempted to recover from his Achilles problem with a period of rest but was forced to have an operation in Sweden at the start of October.