After missing the last five league matches Lynden Gooch provides an injury update after a frustrating spell on the sidelines.
His last appearance came in a 3-1 home defeat to Swansea City and has since watched the team go unbeaten conceding just two goals in the process.
The versatile player is eager to get back playing but knows he must work hard to regain his place in the starting line-up following the Lads’ impressive run of form recently.
“I’m going to be back out running on Monday so just a couple of weeks away. It was my knee, a bit of cartilage damage so it has taken time to heal. I’m itching to get back out there.
“The lads have done brilliant, so I’ve got a lot of hard work ahead to get back into the team.
“We have a great bunch of lads; this is probably my first proper season where I’ve really enjoyed it from the start to now.
“The club is in a different place now from the whole time I’ve been here. There have been a lot of negativities in the past but it’s the complete opposite now everything is positive, and it’s great to be part of it.
“We have kept a core group together and I think that is massive, you see a lot of successful teams earn promotions because they have a good core and good characters as well.
“We don’t have many senior players but the ones that are here try and help the new players coming in. It’s up to us to lead by example and show what it takes to play for this football club,” Gooch added.
The Black Cats have been hit with several long-term injuries throughout the season, but Gooch believes this has allowed other players to step up, show their ability and stake a claim for a starting spot.
Having watched the team climb back into the play-off places, he is aware of the pressures but insists the team must take each game as they come, and results will take care of their league position.
He said: “I think the lads are doing great, obviously we have had some big injuries and the manager now knows he can trust a lot more players by giving them the opportunities when injuries have happened.
“It’s healthy he has rotated this week, which would have been a big plus to him knowing he has been able to do that.
“I think when you are winning games it takes care of itself and there is a good buzz around the place. We have kept doing what we were doing from the end of last season and kept that momentum going
“We don’t fear anyone, and we have proved that on the pitch no matter who we have played. We take it one game at a time and let’s see where we end up.”