NEWPORT County AFC vice-captain Max Porter is hoping that his hard work will be rewarded after he sacrificed his summer.

The Exiles midfielder has been sidelined since January with a groin injury and won’t be fit to return for the first pre-season games, which begin at Swindon Supermarine tomorrow night (kick-off 7.30pm).

However, he has been able to join in light training and after seven solid months on the sidelines, he’s optimistic that the worst is finally behind him.

“I didn’t have a summer off basically, I had to be rehabbing all the way and if you ask any injured player, they’d tell you the same thing.

“Even when we went on a players’ holiday to Portugal, much as I got stick for it, I was rehabbing and doing my running, every single day.

“I haven’t been able to start football work yet but my target for full fitness is the start of the season.

“I was very proud of what we achieved last season and now we’ve got what we wanted. But for me personally, I want to be contributing again and as soon as I’m fit the hard work will have all been worth it."

Essex boy Porter has followed in the footsteps of TV’s Gavin and Stacey by moving lock and stock to South Wales, part of boss Justin Edinburgh’s new edict for players.

“The gaffer wants all the players to be local so I moved up at the start of this summer,” Porter said.

“I wanted to be here so I could work on my rehab and be close to the club and we love it here, we’ve settled very quickly.”

Porter admits that the players have found the first week of pre-season training tough.

“It’s been unreal, we are basically Newport Athletic Club,” he joked.

“But last season everything was built around how fit and strong we were as a group so we know that in the long run, this will stand us in good stead over a hard season.”