Kieron Dyer has started out on the road to first-team fitness with an exciting cameo off the bench in Saturday's 3-0 success against Barnsley in the FA Cup third round.
Having been out since August 2007 with a double leg-break, Dyer has had to be patient with his comeback. His return as a 70th-minute substitute for Jack Collison was greeted with a rapturous response from all four corners of the Boleyn Ground and he went close with an instant snap-shot that just flashed wide. Then, in the closing stages, he saw a lofted attempt just scrape the crossbar and go over.
Regardless of his two good efforts on goal, first-team coach Steve Clarke was just delighted to see the No7 back in the thick of the action, having just had one practice game under his belt last month. "It was good to get Kieron back as he's had a terrible time with injury," he said. "He's been working ever so hard just to get on the pitch again.
"Today was good for him. He showed some good touches but he also showed us he's nowhere near match fit because he looked tired at time. Now we can work on him and build up his fitness - he could be like a new signing." It remains to be seen whether Dyer will be in contention for Saturday's trip to his former club Newcastle United with the England midfielder likely to be in reserve action at Aston Villa on Monday.