NEW signing Ryan Mills says it could be November before he is fully fit to join Dean Ryan’s Warriors revolution.

The versatile centre, 22, moved to Sixways from M5 rivals Gloucester this summer but is currently recovering from surgery on his left knee.

Mills went under the knife in May to repair a quad tendon problem that has plagued him for several seasons and hindered his progression in the sport.

However, he has still been involved in some of Worcester’s gruelling pre-season programme and is determined to be at full capacity before too long.

“I won’t be fit for the start of the season but it’s all going well at the moment,” he said. “That’s the main thing, getting everything sorted before I come back instead of coming back and having a recurring injury.

“I am just in rehab from that but it’s going really well and I’ve started running and doing a few bits and bobs, which is really encouraging.

“Hopefully, around October to November, I’ll be 100 per cent and raring to go.”

Mills is one of two players who left Kingsholm to join Worcester — the other being back-rower Matt Cox — but admits he had to do a lot of soul-searching before signing.

Although he says Warriors’ impending relegation was not a factor, he needed to be certain it was the right move.

In the end, though, the Exeter-born player felt it was an opportunity he couldn’t turn down.

Mills explained: “I made the decision to sign for Worcester before any of that happened. I was willing either way to come to the club, I just felt like it was the right time for me to leave and the right opportunity.

“When I met with Dean and he spoke about his five-year plan, I just thought it suited my situation and where I was.

“I felt I needed more game-time and if I declined the opportunity and stayed at Gloucester, I might have halted my performance and sat at a certain level.

“If I didn’t take the challenge on and then saw Worcester in a few years’ time doing really well and excelling and knowing I could have been a part of it, I think I would have been pretty disappointed with myself.

“That’s probably the thing that hit home more than anything was the risk of not being a part of it and it actually going successfully.

“It was a tough decision and it took a lot of thinking over but I think it was the right decision for me.

“I was just at a point where I needed a fresh start and challenge and to get out of the run of injuries that I’ve had.

“I needed to start somewhere new and hopefully shake that off, get some seasons where I’m fit and actually see what I can do.”