Kitson's Raring To Go

Finally there`s some good news regarding Royals striker Dave Kitson - he is back running a week ahead of schedule as he recovers from a recent appendix operation.

Kitson and winger Bobby Convey were both put through their paces by physio Jon Fearn at Reading`s Hogwood Park training ground earlier this week, and they came through with no problems.

Kitson has been exceptionally unlucky with injuries this season, suffering a knee problem in the opening game after a terrible challenge by Boro`s Chris Riggott, before hurting his hamstring when he was only a couple of weeks away from a return. On top of that, he required surgery two weeks ago to have his appendix removed, but he remains in high spirits.

Kitson said, 'The operation has been easier to get over than I thought it would be. Thinking back to the pain it caused, I thought it would be a big deal.

'It looks as if the scar has healed, it's only one inch so I won't be able to impress anyone on the beach with that!

'Today I was smashing balls at 100% with my right foot, and that's the side it's on, so it's encouraging. I've been running so it's a case of getting the fitness up.

'The knee is fine, and the hamstring is about a week away from being back to how it was. I felt like I could have trained today, but I'm under doctors orders to wait at least four weeks, and it's only two so far.

'I'm hoping in the first week of January I cant step back into the fray and be training. I think that's realistic. It'll be a fresh year and a fresh start.'

Kitson`s disappointed that he won`t be available for our New Year's Day fixture against West Ham. He has scored five goals in our last two home games against the Hammers, and was keen to keep up his good record.

He said, 'I was hugely desperate to come back for the West Ham game, but it's not the same now Alan Pardew's gone! Whenever he came here it used to get the whole place going.

'I had a vision of coming off the bench and scoring the winner again, it would've been like I've never been away.

'It doesn't matter really, I've been away so long that just to play again in any sort of reserve game would be nice.'

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