NICKY Hunt is confident he will be in good shape when he kicks off his second season of Premiership football next month.

The young Wanderer needed surgery on his suspect left shoulder at the end of last season and was not sure until this week whether the operation had been a success.

But a few characteristic, crunching tackles in Wednesday night's friendly against Dundee United put his mind at rest. His next appointment with his specialist should be nothing more than a formality.

"I had the operation on the Wednesday after the Fulham game so that I had time to rest over the summer," the 20-year-old starlet said. "Everything went ok but it was important to get into some contact sport again, which I did for the first time the other night.

"It should be fine now."

Hunt, who made a stunning impact in his first season of Premiership football, dislocated his shoulder three times in 12 months and needed surgery to prevent serious problems in the future.

Among his options was a trip to the United States but Wanderers' medical team chose to send him instead to Wrightington Hospital, around 10 miles from his home in Westhoughton.

"I had a chance of going to Colorado but we settled instead for 'sunny' Wigan," he said. "But the doc who did it was fantastic.

"I don't know exactly what he did but it was keyhole surgery -- I have to go and see him again in August but I shouldn't have any more problems."

Hunt approaches the new season with the boost of a new four-year contract as reward for outstanding performances in the Premiership.

When he made his top flight bow at Manchester United on the opening day of the season, he set himself a target of 10 Premiership starts, but he effectively made the right-back berth his own, earning England U21 honours along the way and having the thrill of representing his home town club in a major cup final.

"It's great that the gaffer rewarded me with a four year deal," he said. "I exceeded my expectations out of all proportion, being part of a team that finished eighth, and could even have finished sixth and maybe got into Europe.

"But there's always next season."