Path to the Villa side is bumpy one for Gary Gardner

Aston Villa midfielder Gary Gardner's recent elevation to the first team might have appeared effortless but the teenager revealed a background story of blood, sweat and tears.

The 19-year-old is pressing his claims for inclusion against QPR tonight, having made his first start in Villa's 3-2 win over Wolves before impressing with cameo appearances from the bench against Chelsea and Arsenal.

Wind the clock back to December 2009, when Gardner sustained a serious anterior cruciate ligament knee injury, and the teenager admitted a Premier League debut seemed a long way off.

He said: "The injury was a bad one, I did my cruciate. My family, brothers and everyone around me kept my head up high and kept me strong along with the coaches and the medical staff here. But I am the sort of lad who will just keep working hard.

"Obviously I would have the days when I would have my head against the wall crying, but you get those days and now all that hard work has paid off. I am just a proud to have made my full debut.

"That's all behind me now and my knee is stronger than ever. The staff at club and the physios have worked wonders with me.

"I have worked hard to get back and I just want to keep going now."

Regular reserve team football last year and a brief loan spell in the Championship with Coventry earlier this season helped complete Gardner's rehabilitation from 12 months he spent on the sidelines.

Manager Alex McLeish,, who coached Gardner's elder brother Craig while he was in charge of Birmingham, has so far treated the youngster with kid gloves, given his injury history.

But Gardner believes he is ready for the rigours of regular Premier League football and is determined to give the Villa boss a selection headache.

The youngster said: "Obviously the club have now got me fit and got me stronger. I just want to keep working hard. Hopefully the gaffer will play me in a few more games.

"There is a good squad here and the senior lads have helped me play in the team so I can't thank the players and staff enough.

"I'm going to keep listening to the staff and the other senior players, who helped me a lot since I came into the side. I'm just going to work hard in training and, hopefully, I will get some more chances.

"I think there is a chance there and I just want to take it, I'm a hungry young lad and I have been at Villa since I was six or seven, so it is a dream come true to be playing and I want more."

The England under-21 midfielder has also won over his Villa team-mates and winger Marc Albrighton reckons he could go on to establish himself as a midfield star for the claret and blues in years to come.

Albrighton said: "Gaz is one of the most down to earth guys I know. Every time I speak to him, he wants to learn as a player and get better and better. He is doing that.

"He has been fantastic for the reserves and youth sides in the last couple of seasons.

"He suffered a horrific injury to his knee but he's bounced back from that and I respect him for the way he has come back. He thoroughly deserves his place in the team. Hopefully he can build on that.

"If you look at the players who have played in Villa's central midfield over the past few years, for Gaz to say he's part and parcel of that is brilliant for him.

"Not long ago Gareth Barry was playing in there, James Milner was in there. Now it's Gary Gardner."

And Solihull-born Gardner is a keen user of micro-blogging site Twitter, going by the user name Gards38, and enjoys interacting with fans after matches.

He said: "Using Twitter tops the day off I think.

"When you've played on a Saturday and you're at home watching Match Of The Day reading all your tweets when you have done well is great.

"I wish I could reply to every fan but I'd be there all night! I generally do one message to just thank all the Villa fans and I appreciate the support they give me. Hopefully I can repay that."

QPR defender Luke Young will make his first return to Villa tonight since his summer switch.

He said: "I'm looking forward to going back there. Villa Park is a great place to play football.

"I enjoyed my time at Villa, but I'm a QPR player now and my focus is very much on us getting a positive result."