Kightly set for pre-season return

The 23-year-old has been out since having minor surgery on a broken metatarsal and to correct a long-running hip problem in March.

But is now set to discard the orthopaedic boot he's been wearing and will be running soon.

He said: "I should have the boot off in a week's time and then be running again in three weeks.

"If all goes well I should be fit and raring to go by the time we start pre-season."

Kightly, who will miss next month's European under-21 championships in Sweden, admits it's a slog doing rehabilitation every day when he could be with his team-mates on the beaches after a long, hard season.

He said: "It's not great to come in all the time and I'd rather be on holiday!

"But it's life, it happens in football, I'm getting on with coming in every day and working hard with the physios.

"We're all working hard to get where we want to be and that applies to everyone that's injured, to get fit and be ready for pre-season."

Kightly, who played 38 Championship games for the title winners, also admitted he didn't feel part of the celebrations after missing the last six games, but quickly picked up on the euphoria through the weight of celebrations.

He said: "I've said many times that I didn't feel part of it towards the end.

"But once the final whistle went, the other boys, the staff and fans just made me feel I'd played every single game which was great.

"It was a brilliant occasion for us and we all really enjoyed it. I've already got an FA Trophy medal but this one is on another level.

"It's a great honour to have and hopefully I'll be picking up a few more medals in my career."