JOE THOMSON is ready to hand Athletic a major boost by playing his first match in seven months next week.

Head coach Stevie Crawford this week confirmed that the 22-year-old, who has not kicked a ball since tearing an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) against Ayr United in March, is set to be given 45 minutes in Tuesday’s reserve match with Celtic.

The central midfielder, who has been back in full training for the last week, is in line to visit a specialist for a check-up on Monday, where he anticipates he will receive the go-ahead to make a playing return.

Although it has been a long road back for Thomson, the former Celtic player is ahead of schedule in his recovery, and told Press Sport that his knee “feels brilliant”.

“I’m feeling good, my knee’s feeling good and the rest of my body’s getting used to it again – that’s one way to put it!” he said.

“I’m really enjoying it and it’s good personally to be back on the pitch and not just in the gym, isolated there.

“The gym is probably the most important bit that’s got me to this stage. If I didn’t put the work in with the physios in the gym, then I wouldn’t have been at this stage, but I want to be a professional footballer so it’s good to be back out on the pitch with the boys.

“Even in training, it’s good just having that competitive edge back.

“There shouldn’t be any problems; it feels brilliant and obviously I’ve been in full contact for a week now, so I can’t see there being any problems.

“I think it will probably be a case of just building up, maybe a 45, a 60 and a 90, something like that. I’m not 100 per cent sure yet.

“We’ll take it as it comes and hopefully we’ll just keep ticking each one off. Getting through each one means being closer to being back out on the first team pitch.”

When asked if his team-mates had been taking it easy on his initial return to training, Thomson continued: “I don’t think anybody thinks about it when you’re out there.

“To be honest, I’ve never once thought about pulling out a tackle myself, it’s fine. My knee’s probably the thing that’s feeling best just now compared with the rest of my body!

“You don’t want people pulling out of tackles because they’re not going to do that when it comes to a Saturday, on the opposition team, are they?

“I’ve not once, since I’ve been back out training, thought ‘oh, my knee, I’m going to hold back from this’, or that I’m going to take it easy.

“I’m somebody that can only play one way, and that’s giving 100 per cent, going into every tackle, and doing everything I can to win.

“I didn’t know a lot about the injury or anything before it, but I’ve went through it with the physios, and it’s about taking each step at a time and not looking too far ahead.

“I’ve done that with the help of the physios, John (Porteous) and Kev (Bain), and later on Gaz (Gary McColl, sports scientist) and they’ve got me up to be the best I can be to get back in training.”

Thomson was pleased to hear his manager say that his return would be “a boost for the squad”, but added: “I’ve been putting the work in every day and, hopefully, the sharpness and quality will come back.

“It’s March since I last played, so it’s not going to be there straight away, but I’ve been giving my all and doing everything I can to get myself up to the level of where I was, and even better than what I was before.

“It’s easy to go on runs, but you can’t really replicate training when you’re on your own. Matches will be another step up.

“Your touch and things like that goes a little bit, but it’ll come I’m sure with hard work, dedication and doing extra, and hopefully I’ll be able to push for a place in the first team.”