Kevin Thornton is looking forward to putting his injury ‘year of hell’ behind him and earn a contract with Wrexham.
Former Coventry City and Northampton Town midfielder Thornton joined Wrexham on trial in pre-season and was building up fitness levels following a knee problem when he dislocated a shoulder in his second reserve team outing for the Reds in September.
Despite his run of bad luck, Thornton is optimistic he can impress player-boss Andy Morrell and help Wrexham in the challenge for promotion.
“I am confident in my own ability that hopefully I will do well and take my chance when it does come,” said Thornton. “I have had my bad luck, I just want to turn around and have some good luck now.
“I’ve spoken to the manager and Billy Barr. They have told me to get myself right and don’t rush it and come back flying.
“They said that hopefully I can play a part in the team. When I watch the lads on a Saturday, I just want to be out there involved, winning games and celebrating with the lads on the pitch and doing well.
“I miss those days but it is up to me now to bring back those days and get over my injuries. It has just been a year of hell.
“I want to put everything behind me, concentrate on my football and get back to what I love doing.
“I would love to get a contract here, even if it is to the end of the season, do well and it would be a bonus if the lads got promoted and I was a part of it.”
Thornton, whose last club was Nuneaton, believes he has got plenty to offer Wrexham.
“I would like to think I have got a part to play,” said Thornton. “The lads are doing well anyway so it is nice to be at a club where the lads are doing well.
“You just don’t feel really part of it when you are injured and in the gym when the lads are getting ready for the games, doing well on the training pitch and taking that into games so I want to get that there and go from there.”
Thornton had returned to training but the 26-year-old is still restricted by what work he can do in the sessions.
“I had a good week last week,” said Thornton. “From Monday, I joined in with the lads and did all the warm-ups.
“I just can’t do any contact stuff at the minute obviously because of my shoulder. When they are going into the contact stuff and the games, I am just carrying on with my fitness stuff – doing circuits with the physio and miles on the road.
“I am just keeping my fitness up so that when I do come back, hopefully I won’t be too far behind.”
Thornton is unsure when he will be back playing but he is looking forward to repaying Morrell for the faith the Reds’ player-boss has shown in him.
“I can’t puy anything on it yet but it is progressing well,” added Thornton. “Hopefully in the next week or two I can start joining in the contact stuff and we will just take it from there.
“Obviousy I will have to play a few reserve team games. All I want to do now is get back playing and obviously get something sorted because I have enjoyed my time here.
“They are a great bunch of lads and I have settled in really well so it would be nice to get something sorted and get back playing, do well for myself and do well for the club because Andy Morrell has given me a chance to come here and get my football career back on track.”