DAVID Foy is set to lift spirits in the Worcester City camp in the next two weeks with a return to training after more than four months on the sidelines.

The 30-year-old midfielder was carried off with a knee injury in the 0-0 draw with Tamworth on September 9 and has endured a torrid time since.

Initial diagnoses failed to spot a ruptured ligament and ultimately he required surgery that ruled him out for a further three months.

He suffered a further setback when the knee flared up three weeks ago during the early stages of rehabilitation and Foy was left fearing the worst.

But after being given the all-clear by his specialist the midfielder is now counting down the days until January 28 when the stitches in the ruptured ligament are finally due to have dissolved and he can start his fitness programme.

It has been a worrying three weeks though as Foy admits.

"The knee blew up almost to the size it was after the operation and I was quite worried and thought perhaps I had done some damage and too much, too soon," said Foy.

"But the specialist wasn't alarmed. Apparently all that happened was the knee had reacted to the stitches as if they were a foreign body and filled up with fluid as a protective measure.

"It's taken nearly three weeks to calm down and now I'm just waiting for the

magical three month mark when the stitches will have dissolved and I can start training again."

During his absence Foy has closely monitored City's progress and has been impressed with the way his team-mates have adapted to the loss of key players.

"The team has showed they are not just reliant on two or three key individuals," he said.

"I've been impressed with the way they are still up there and it is no fluke where they are."

Foy was a member of the Tamworth side that lost the Dr Martens Premier

Division title last season and if City are up there challenging at the end is sure Barton will not make the same mistakes that saw the Lambs pipped by

Kettering Town.

"It was a strange run in for us because up until the last six games we had

played good passing football for 95 percent of the time," he added.