Vaughan backs Byrne to bounce back

Kidderminster Harriers right-back Lee Vaughan has backed team-mate Jack Byrne to bounce back from his ban and re-establish himself in the team.

The duo are away on international duty this week, with the England C team preparing to face Portugal in the International Challenge Trophy final at Northampton's Sixfields Stadium tomorrow night.

But Byrne must sit out the next four games of next season as part of a five-match ban, given for his third straight red card of the season in the penultimate game of the last campaign at Rushden & Diamonds.

Vaughan knows what a set-back such an enforced absence can be after a similar start to his Harriers career last season, suspended for the first four games of 2010-11 for a collection of cards playing for AFC Telford in the previous campaign.

But the 24-year-old still broke through to pin down a first-team place and has backed Byrne to do the same, adding that the tough-tackling midfielder will be back sooner than he thinks.

Vaughan said: "Jack will miss the first four games and it might take him a few after that to settle back in, but he will be absolutely fine.

"He had a strong end to the season for us and is a good player, he has a lot going for him. Maybe missing four games at the start of the season will push him on.

"The suspension is, at least, very early doors and it will be out of the way with the Saturday and Tuesday way we play.

"It's not nice, I'm not going to lie - but it will fly by and he will soon be back."