It’s that time of the year again and excitement is in the air.
Gillingham jumped the gun a bit by blasting out ‘Fairytale of New York’ before the game on Saturday.
But go into any shopping centre and there’s no escape from the approaching festive season.
For David Syers, the Christmas period cannot come quickly enough. He has an extra special gift he wants to present to City boss Phil Parkinson: himself ready for selection.
That is the only item on the all-action midfielder’s wish list for Santa – and he is confident of delivering.
Anyone who does not believe in Syers only has to watch him going through his paces with fitness coach Nick Allamby at Apperley Bridge. The 23-year-old is hitting the recovery trail like a man possessed.
A recent scan on his knee signalled the all clear and now Syers is straining every sinew to get back to business.
He said: “It’s really a case of smashing it and getting the fitness back up as quickly as I can. Is there a chance of playing again this year? Yes, definitely.
“I had some strength tests done up at the (Yorkshire) clinic on my quad and hamstring and they are both up to a decent level.
“Now I’m working to try and get some game time in the reserves and we’ll see where we are from there.”
Allamby and physio Dave Hanson have been regular companions during Syers’ long vigil on the sidelines and he has been impressed with the structure that Phil Parkinson has put in place.
He said: “I think the gaffer has done a really good job with the medical side of things. He covers every aspect of what he wants to do and he looks at everything. No stone is left unturned.
“He’s really set it up that the likes of Nick and Dave are in charge. They report to him and they do what’s best for us, which is a really good thing and definitely helps you get back fitter.
“It means you can literally get your head down, work with the fitness guys and the physio and get yourself back.”
Parkinson would love the Christmas bonus of a fit-again Syers to add to his midfield options. He is still waiting for a first glimpse of last season’s player of the year, who has not kicked a ball since the injury at Leeds three weeks before the new manager walked in.
“We don’t think it will be too long before Dave is available and that’s going to be a huge bonus,” said Parkinson.
“He is doing really well with his recovery. He’s a very fit lad anyway and is working really hard every day on the training ground with his rehab’.”
Syers takes a philosophical view on his four-month absence. It is a frustration which comes with the territory of playing professional sport.
“It’s tasting every part of football life, the good and the bad,” he said.
“Last year was like a honeymoon period. There was (my debut in) the Nottingham Forest game, getting signed, scoring a few goals before Christmas and then making double figures for the season.
“It was so disappointing to get injured then because I thought I’d played well early on in the Leeds game and that’s what you want to push on into the winter months.
“But it happens in football and I’ve just got to put those things out of my mind. My focus is on getting myself back and scoring again as soon as possible.”
Syers can see similarities in City’s inconsistent results and performances from a year ago and he maintains that a good run over the festive fixtures can quickly lift a lot of the gloom.
He recalled: “We had a good period over Christmas last time and pushed ourselves right up into the mix. Then a very bad run of form in January and February pushed us back down.
“But it just shows that a good run around Christmas can set you up for the second half of the season.
“Since I’ve been at the club we’ve always been able to play against the bigger and the in-form teams. We’ve shown we can raise our game against sides from League One in the cups.
“It’s a case of doing that week in and week out. That’s what the likes of Chesterfield and Bury did last season and got promoted.
“The good thing is we are still in the cups but the league is a long, hard battle and we have to produce those consistent performances more often.
“If performances are there, now and again results may still go against you, but the fans will accept that. People don’t want to see teams like Cheltenham coming and doing a job on you.”
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereLast Updated:
Report this comment Cancel