MIDFIELDER Max Porter has opened up on his injury agony in 2013, but tips striker Aaron O’Connor to make a far quicker return from the same ailment.

The England C midfielder returned on Saturday at Havant and Waterlooville as a second half substitute, his first action since early January at Lincoln.

The Exiles initially expected Porter to be sidelined for just a matter of weeks, but the problem worsened until he went under the surgeon’s knife in April. However, he’s played an active part in pre-season and now Porter is ready to feature against Reading and Villa ahead of the season curtain-raiser against Accrington on August 3, and he admits to his sheer joy at running out against Havant.

“I’m over the moon to be back, I can’t say anything else, it feels amazing,” he said.

“I’ve been at full tilt in training for a week or so and I just wanted so badly to get back out there and I’m loving it, I don’t feel like I’ve been out for seven-and-a-half months.

“It’s a weird feeling, putting the kit on, on match day, you take it for granted until it’s taken away from you and lacing the boots up again, it’s a special feeling.”

Porter believes an injury like his can be even more frustrating to deal with than a severe long-term one.

“I would say it’s harder when it’s an injury like mine, it’s worse than if you say, break your leg.

If you break your leg you know you’re out for months, but at least everything in your treatment is pre-determined,” he said.

“Your rehabilitation is mapped out from day one.

“But with mine, at first they thought I was only going to miss two weeks. I got injured in January and I didn’t get the diagnosis that I’d need surgery until April.

“I had three months in limbo, that’s why I’ve been out even longer, I didn’t know where I was going, we were taking it day by day and your muscles begin to fail you a bit, they weaken and then when you recover from surgery it’s that much harder.”

But Porter feels that bodes well for striker O’Connor, about to have surgery on the same injury.

“With Aaron, it’ll be better because he’s been playing and doing pre-season and his muscles will respond better, he’ll come back quicker than me,” he said.

“It took me three months after the operation, but I’d expect his recovery to be smoother.”

Porter expects a good test in the coming days.

“I am happy to be playing Reading and Villa and a bit worried! It’s a different test, a different level, but it’s one I desperately want to play a part in,” he said.

“I don’t expect to be in the first XI at the start of the season but I’m getting there and hopefully it won’t be too long. There is light at the end of the tunnel and for me that’s huge.”