CONCORD Rangers goalkeeper Jamie Butler is targeting a speedy comeback from injury – after he was told he didn’t need an operation on his serious knee injury.

The 22-year-old stopper has been out of action since he ruptured the posterior cruciate ligament in his knee against Wealdstone last month, with concerns his season had been ended following the collision with striker Enoch Showunmi.

Butler has since been to see a specialist based in Harley Street, in London – which has treated a number of elite sportspeople – and has been told he could be back in as soon as three months.

The injury came at the worst possible time for the Beachboys keeper – the day after he had been selected in the England C squad for the recent clash with Turkey in the International Challenge Trophy.

And the young goalkeeper says he wants to do everything in his power to get back on the pitch as soon as possible.

“I went to see a doctor in Harley Street on Monday,” he revealed. “It is a real relief that I don’t have to have an operation as, if I build up the muscles around the knee in my quadriceps and calves then that will compensate for the injured area.

“I may be able to get residential rehabilitation which would be ideal. That way I would be monitored regularly but I am not sure whether the doctor wants to go down that route yet.

“I have been told that it could be as long as six months but with this sort of an injury it is down to how hard you work to come back from it,” he added. “It takes different people varying amounts of time to come back from something like this but this is a case of you get back what you put in.

“You need to be mentally strong to come back from something like this. I am and I want to be back on that pitch.”

Butler is a member of the Professional Footballers’ Association, having been part of the Tottenham Hotspur youth team until he left aged 18, and he will be seen by top medical professionals because of his ties to the Premier League club.

And Butler, who had also been training with Millwall, said it has been hard watching on from the sidelines.

“In my four-and-a-half years playing non-league football I never missed a league game,” he said. “I hadn’t missed a single game for Concord since I joined (at the start of the 2013/14 season) but an injury like this is totally out of my hands.

“I have spoken to Mick Payne (England C goalkeeping coach) and he has assured me the door is still open. He told me I was picked for a reason and I desperately want to be back involved.

“I work hard and believe I can get back to where I want to be.”