Aiden McGeady is ready to battle through the pain barrier and fire up Sunderland’s season once more to get them over the line the Play-Offs.
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The winger has been sidelined for the last two matches after playing three games with a fractured foot which was sustained at Accrington Stanley in April.
That’s seen the Black Cats have to do battle without their instrumental wideman, resulting in back-to-back defeats at Fleetwood Town and Southend United.
But with a do or die situation now in the Play-Offs, McGeady is determined to ensure a season’s worth of hard work isn’t wasted as Portsmouth visit the Stadium of Light in tonight’s first leg semi-final tie.
“I feel slightly better now having trained less,” he said. “The most important thing for this injury is rest and trying to get myself right.
“There are obviously a couple of massive games in the Play-Offs and then hopefully a final to come after that. It's an exciting time and a part of the season I want to be involved.
“We’ve got two Play-Off games and then possibly a final. It's where we want to get to and hopefully, we can get ourselves into a position where we are looking forward to another trip to Wembley.
“Of course, it was massively disappointing not to go up automatically because it was in our own hands.
“We have no one else to blame but ourselves and I think you have to just say well done to Luton and Barnsley because they were probably that bit more consistent over the season in terms of getting those victories.”
Despite missing the opening few weeks of the season through injury, McGeady has enjoyed the most successful goalscoring season of his career with 14 goals and he’s further recognised for his wider contributions with accolade after accolade.
Picking up the Sky Bet League One Player of the Month in February and the Sunderland Supporters’ Player of the Year trophy, the 33-year-old has also been named in the League One’s Team of the Year as well as the PFA’s League One Team of the Year.
But while personal recognition is always special, McGeady knows it counts for very little if the Play-Off outcome isn’t a positive one.
“We have two massive games coming up now. We could've made it slightly easier for ourselves had we of finished third, but Portsmouth in the Play-Offs will be two good games.
“We’re at home in the first-leg and we need to use that to our advantage. Hopefully, we can get a good result and that will stand us in good stead when we go down there next week.
“I think it's a bonus to have the first-leg at home because it gives us the opportunity to have a good start and get a good result.
“Then, there will be pressure on them next Thursday.”
Sunderland enter the Play-Offs on the back of just one win in seven games while Charlton Athletic – who are playing Doncaster Rovers – are the inform side having taken 21 points from a possible of 24.
But McGeady isn’t fazed by the Lads’ dip in form, admitting while it’s easy to be worried entering the Play-Off, Portsmouth head into it in exactly the same frame of mind.
“Portsmouth are a good team and will be disappointed to find themselves in the Play-Offs too because they were top for a while.
“When we played them at home a few weeks back they didn’t really threaten us apart from their goal. We had more clear-cut chances and their ‘keeper made some unbelievable saves. If you look at that game, we have nothing to fear.
“For all the people who are saying it’s a difficult game, Portsmouth fans will be thinking the same. Going to play at the Stadium of Light in front of the biggest crowd in the league – they will be worried and it’s important we make sure that plays in our hands this evening.”
