INJURY-stricken midfielder Callum Dunne says his imminent return to the Billericay Town team has come as a massive boost, and a slight surprise!

Dunne was ruled out for the season after he sustained what was believed to be an anterior cruciate ligament injury against Witham Town in September.

But, determined not to be sidelined by the injury, the 22-year-old midfielder sought a second opinion and was told he may be able to return from injury much sooner than anticipated.

And he is now preparing to make his comeback later this month, having been named on the bench by manager Craig Edwards in Town’s last game against Dulwich Hamlet.

“It is a great feeling to be back so much sooner than I originally thought,” said Dunne, who has been at the club since the start of last season. “The doctor told me I had torn my ACL and I thought that’s it.

“But I didn’t have a great deal of pain in my knee so I went to get a second opinion in London and was told it wouldn’t require surgery.”

In fact, Dunne had sustained a partial medial tear of his ACL and, after spending a month receiving physiotherapy from John Green, former physio at West Ham United, he says he is well on the road to recovery.

“It was a strange situation,” he said. “But since I have been getting treatment I have realised my knee needs to be twice as strong as it was. It will mean I have to look after it for the rest of my career but when you play in midfield and go into tackles, these things can happen.”

And Dunne, who also suffered a partial medial tear of the ligament earlier in his career at Lewes, says all he wants now is to get back on the pitch, having not played since the 3-2 win in September.

“I played 60 games the season after I injured myself at Lewes and I know I can play a big part in the rest of Billericay’s season.

“I have been involved in relegation battles at Horsham and Lewes and to be fighting up the other end of the table is much more enjoy-able.

“And we are in good form. Despite the two defeats this year, we are a team that was on top of the form guide for weeks and we had players who were really playing some good football.

“The likes of Jack Edwards really pushed on and I still see Pooley (Glenn Poole) as a player who is underrated. Playing with him is a joy and we know where each other are without looking up.

“We are close to where we want to be now and once George (Beavan) and I are back and fully-fit I am confident we can push for the play-offs.”

l Town play Leatherhead tomorrow and face a number of injury concerns. Cyrus Mahler and George Beavan will miss the encounter, while Ryan Melaugh is doubtful for the game at New Lodge. Ricky Sappleton and Steve Sheehan also miss out through suspension.

However, Glenn O’Hanlon and Nathan Ferguson should be fit for the game.