Knight on course for quick return

The giant defender’s recovery after damaging medial knee ligaments against Everton last month is going better than expected.

And Knight, the only ever-present until his injury, hopes to be back ahead of schedule.

“Maybe I can try to get back for Birmingham away in the league, or if that’s a bit too soon then the West Ham game,” he said.

“I’m feeling good and the injury is getting better day by day. It’s kind of hard watching the boys out there training every day but I’m feeling a lot better.

“I’m over the moon with the progress I’m making. I’m doing a lot of work in the swimming pool and in the gym.

“Hopefully at the beginning of this week I will be able to do some running in straight lines and maybe at the end next week I will be able to kick a ball. But that depends on how the running goes.

“I passed a ball back to someone the other day and I could still slightly feel the knee. But I think that is a bit of stiffness.”

Knight injured himself making a goal-saving tackle on Everton striker Victor Anichebe in Bolton’s 2-0 victory at the Reebok on February 13.

And the 30-year-old centre back admitted he feared the worst after being stretchered off.

He said: He added: “As soon as I made the tackle I knew something had happened. I said to the gaffer that it would have hurt even more if we had lost the game.

“Because I made the tackle and stopped him (Anichebe) from scoring and we went on to win 2-0 it made it easier to swallow. It made the tackle feel a bit more worthwhile.

“If I’m being honest, I didn’t know how bad it was, I just knew that I had done something. You always think about the worst and anything better than that is a bonus.

“When I went for the scan and they said that it was just a tear and it would keep me out for seven weeks, I was pleased.”

“I was proud I was the only player to have played every minute of every game this season but hopefully I can be back soon and play a part in the run-in to the season.”