Reading's injury-jinxed striker Dave Kitson is hoping to end a frustrating spell on the sidelines by returning to action early on in the New Year.
The 26-year-old has not featured since scoring in the 3-2 opening day win at home to Middlesbrough, having suffered knee and hamstring problems, before being forced to undergo an appendix operation.
However, Kitson is now back in light training with the Royals and wants to make up for lost time.
He told the club's official website: "The operation has been easier to get over than I thought it would be.
"I've been running, so it's just a case of getting the fitness up.
"The knee is fine and the hamstring is about a week away from being back to how it was.
"I felt like I could have trained today, but I'm under doctors orders to wait at least four weeks and it's only two so far.
"I'm hoping in the first week of January I can step back into the fray and be training. I think that's realistic. It'll be a fresh year and a fresh start."