Weaver on way back for City

Manchester City manager Kevin Keegan is hopeful forgotten keeper Nicky Weaver could be back in action before the end of the season.

The former England Under-21 international has started working on the training ground for the first time since he had a cartilage transplant operation on his knee at the turn of the year.

The operation followed several false starts as injury problems had continued to sideline him the 25-year-old.

But Keegan believes Walker is making good progress.

He told the Manchester City website, www.mcfc.co.uk: “Nicky has just started back in training and is still some way off

“It is great to see him out there. It started a few weeks ago with him going out with Tim Flowers half an hour before the other keepers and doing some handling practice.

“Now he is diving, so that is the progress within two or three weeks. He is still months away rather than weeks. But he is making good progress.”

Months of gym work has left the keeper, who last played in the senior side in the UEFA Cup qualifier against TNS in Cardiff in August 2003, in good shape.

“The lads now call him the wardrobe because he is so slim,” joked Keegan.

“He has looked after himself very well. He has worked very hard and it has been a long road back.

“It looks at this point that it is going to be a successful long road back. There were doubts early on but it seems that he is going to be okay.

“Everyone is behind him and as Tim Flowers said it will be like having a new player if he comes back.”