Midfield maestro Christian Fox has given York City a massive summer boost after revealing he hopes to make a sooner than expected return to action.

It was predicted the highly-rated youngster would be out until October after undergoing major surgery to reconstruct his knee.

But speaking to the Evening Press, Fox is hopeful he could be challenging for a first-team berth within weeks of the new season kicking into action.

"I just want to get back as soon as possible," said Fox, who has endured more than 12 months of injury torment.

"I was told it would be seven months but it is going that well I could be back before then.

"Hopefully, I will be joining in pre-season training exercises with the lads but may have to sit out the game at the end.

"But if things keep going as they are hopefully it will just be the first couple of weeks of the season that I will miss out on."

The 20-year-old has made rapid progress since going under the surgeon's knife towards the end of February.

It was a major operation - a graft from a patella tendon on his injured knee was used to replace the cruciate ligament that had snapped.

Damaged cartilage was also trimmed

"I have not started running yet but I am more or less doing everything else, working on the bike and rowing machines," he revealed.

"I also went to Lilleshall, the National Sports Centre, with (striker) Peter Duffield for a week of rehabilitation and that was really good.

"They gave me certain exercises to do and gave me an evaluation to give to Jeff Miller (the City physio).

"Hopefully, I will be going back there towards the end of June and hopefully by that time I will be up and running.

"But everything is going really well. I will see the surgeon again next week but everyone seems pleased with how things are going."

While his team-mates are now enjoying their summer breaks, Fox's injury - together with the fact he is due to become a father in a matter of days - means he has had to put any chance of a holiday on hold.

He has recently stepped up his treatment and exercise programme at Bootham Crescent to three days a week.

As he looks ahead to next season, Fox admits success is long overdue for the Minstermen.

"It was a good finish to the season and that gives us hope for next season," said Fox.

"But we have been saying it for a number of seasons now and next season we really need to do something about it - we have been talking about it for long enough.

"There is always pressure in football but when you're in the Third Division there is even more pressure when you are at the wrong end of the table and with the squad we have got we should be up there at the end of the season."

Updated: 11:46 Friday, May 25, 2001