INJURY-hit midfielder Connor Gater hopes to have surgery within the “next few weeks” as he bids to make his long-awaited Worcester City return this season.

Gater is on loan at Stourbridge and featured in their FA Cup third-round defeat to Wycombe Wanderers this month.

But the 24-year-old revealed he was waiting for an operation to repair the troublesome toe which has blighted his campaign.

Gater came off the bench for the final 15 minutes of the Glassboys’ 4-0 victory at Mickleover Sports in the Evo-Stik Northern Premier Division on Tuesday.

“I still can’t get around the pitch properly or it is very uncomfortable which is partly why I have been mainly used by Stourbridge as a substitute,” he said.

“It is difficult until I get the operation to get back to full fitness but I am hoping that will come soon.

“I am back at City at the end of the month so I am hoping to get the surgery done in the next few weeks.”

Gater was a key figure for manager Carl Heeley last season, making 37 appearances, but he has yet to turn out for the Blue and Whites this term.

“I have a return date to Worcester of another 14 days so I will have to try to stay as fit as I can before I go into hospital and see what I can do to help City for the rest of the season,” he added.

Despite his injury issues, the England schoolboy international has enjoyed a memorable run in the FA Cup with Stourbridge.

He played in their wins over Whitehawk and Northampton Town and their 2-1 defeat at Wycombe.

And Gater said it “brought back memories” of City’s cup exploits in 2014 when they knocked out Coventry City before losing to Scunthorpe United on penalties in the second round.

“I didn’t get much of the pre-match attention as far as the press and television was concerned because other people had made greater contributions but it was great to be involved,” he said.

“To come on and play in front of 6,000 people was great and brought back memories of the Coventry game which was a wonderful occasion.”