Soccer: Taggart targets return

Leicester City central defender Gerry Taggart is on target for a mid-September return after recovering from a knee operation.

The Northern Ireland international was ruled out of the final part of last season with ligament damage and was missed as the Foxes plunged down the Premiership table.

But now the 30-year-old, who formed a formidable partnership with skipper Matt Elliott, has resumed training and City manager Peter Taylor is confident he will be ready for a first team return next month.

Taylor said: ‘‘Gerry is doing brilliantly and by the middle of September he should be okay to play first team football again.

‘‘He is doing absolutely everything in training except twisting and turning. His work is excellent and he is very fit.

‘‘We all know what an influence he was last season and it was something like well after Christmas until we lost a game when he was in the side.’’

The picture is not so bright for midfielder Darren Eadie, who is to see another specialist about a knee problem and is struggling to be ready for the Premiership kick-off on August 18.

Taylor said: ‘‘He has seen someone about the knee but we are going to get a second opinion. It is a bit frustrating because so far no-one has been able to get to the bottom of the problem.

‘‘The knee keeps puffing up every now and then. Hopefully we can get to the root of the problem.’’