Bonds close to comeback appearance

MIDFIELDER Elliot Bonds could play a part in one of the friendly matches on Tuesday, July 27, when Cheltenham field teams at both Hereford and Hungerford.

The summer signing from Hull has been continuing his recovery from a serious knee injury, suffered during his loan spell with the Robins last season.

He took part in the post-match running work at Evesham on Tuesday night, followed by a lengthy spell of stretching and he has this week been cleared to begin full contact training.

Bonds, 21, made his sixth start for Cheltenham at home against Scunthorpe on October 20 last year. He was on the receiving end of a heavy challenge late in the first half and left the field on a stretcher.

It was later confirmed that the Guyana cap had ruptured his anterior cruciate ligament, ruling him out for the rest of the season.

Bonds, below on left, underwent surgery before returning to Hull for rehabilitation.

Months of hard work have put him in a position to be able to return to the field this pre-season for Cheltenham, where he has signed a two-year contract.

When the extent of the injury became clear, Robins boss Michael Duff said: “Bondsy is a lovely lad who wants to learn and I’ve had a little bit of a chat with him because I’ve had a similar type of injury.

“It doesn’t need to define you. You can come back stronger and learn in this period. It’ll be tough for him mentally and it’s happened very early in his career so, hopefully, he’ll come back bigger, better, stronger, quicker.”

And Duff is now seeing firsthand the progress Bonds has made during his recovery.

“He is more of a bloke now and you can see that he has filled out around the shoulders,” Duff said.

“I was in the gym with him the other day and he was throwing weights all over the place.

“It’s what he’s had to do and he’s starting to bear the fruit of that hard labour now.”

Cheltenham play Birmingham City at home today (3pm), with Fulham forward Timmy Abraham – the brother of Chelsea’s Tammy – all set to make his second appearance for the Robins.

Duff ’s men are also due to visit Kidderminster on Tuesday and host Coventry on the following Saturday before the date of Bonds’ possible comeback.

■ Forest Green Rovers continue their pre-season build-up with a game at non-League Yate Town this afternoon (1pm).