CONCORD Rangers midfielder Tom Ranger says he is keeping positive - despite suffering another setback in his return to fitness.

The 23-year-old has been out of action since last February, after linking up with the Beach Boys from Great Wakering Rovers.

Ranger was told by doctors he had a blood clot in his groin, having made just three substitutes appearances for his new club to date.

And he has now been told it is unlikely he will be able to play competitively until at least August.

“I went to St Thomas’ Hospital in London on Monday and they said the clot has not completely closed up,” he said.

“Apparently there is nothing in my blood that says it should be doing this but I can’t do anything about it.

“It is really frustrating,” he added. “I want to play and I am doing as much as I can but it is not 100 per cent.

“I need to do as much as my leg allows me. It has been cramping up due to a lack of blood and I can’t do any contact sport while I am on tablets.

“That is provisionally until the end of August but I will have to wait as I want a second opinion.”

Ranger was originally discharged from hospital last year and was hopeful of a return to action in the 2016/17 season.

However, due to the size of the clot, Ranger was still unable to feature in the National League South last season.

But he says he is confident he will be back before long, having been named in the Concord Rangers retained list for next term.

“I was actually discharged last December but the leg was still playing up,” he said.

“They said the size of the clot was causing me problems. I went back in February and the clot had closed up. It was there but it had closed up.

“It was still quite dangerous and I had more tests which came back positive and said I shouldn’t be getting the trouble I was getting.”

Ranger thanked Concord manager Adam Flanagan for keeping him involved at the club, and also praised a former manager Dan Trenkel - who he worked with at Great Wakering.

“Flan has been good to me and wants me to stay involved and go to sessions,” he said. “I will sit down and talk to them about it all.

“Trenks has been great too, he has always looked out for me and I appreciate that.”