Michael O'Connor provides update on recovery from injury

Michael O'Connor has provided an update on his recovery from the knee injury suffered in the game between Notts County and Portsmouth in April.

The Magpies skipper is recovering from an operation to his right knee in which he damaged his anterior cruciate ligament, medial ligament and meniscus following a challenge by Pompey midfielder Gary Roberts.

Asked about his road to recovery, O'Connor told the official Notts website: "Things are going OK. The physio is happy enough.

"It's a slow process, this injury, especially at the start. The first 10-12 weeks after your operation are really important - not doing too much but trying to get the leg going again. It could be six months [before a return], it could be nine, it could be 12.

"Jimmy Spencer, who was here a couple of years ago, did his ACL and was back in six months, whereas Rob Milsom did his at Aberdeen and was back in 10 or 11 months. Everyone is different - it depends how your knee reacts."

The Nottingham Post, meanwhile, quotes O'Connor as saying it is the worst injury he has ever suffered, but he absolves Roberts of blame.

"It's the worst injury I've ever had by some distance," he said. "The worst I've had before was a groin operation I had five years ago. That kept me out 12 to 13 weeks so that's been the longest I've ever been out previously.

"But the first four or five days after the operation I wouldn't wish on my worst enemy.It was so tough, I couldn't sleep, I couldn't move, my knee was 10 times bigger than what it should be and I had no quad muscle.

"It's been mentally tough. The recovery will be long, but I am not going to be stupid and rush it.

"But I hold no malice towards Gary at all. It's just one of those things. I don't hold anything against him. I am nearly 30 and I know how things work in football."

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