LEICESTER City winger Darren Eadie, from Corsham, who missed his side's fight for Premiership survival through injury, is hopeful of a return to first team football by Christmas as he continues his recovery from a long-term knee injury.

Eadie has a crunch 12 months ahead as he bids to return to fitness and win a new contract with the club, who were relegated from the FA Barclaycard Premiership last season.

He was sidelined when a hefty challenge in a Premiership game against Charlton in April 2001 damaged the cartilage in his left knee. Eadie's troublesome knee has been under constant scrutiny from club doctors and physio Dave Rennie ever since, but the 27-year-old can at last see light at the end of the tunnel and expects to be challenging for a place on the Leicester left flank by the turn of the year.

He said: "Everything is going to plan at the moment. I'll undergo keyhole surgery in September and, if I get clearance after that, then I should be back in training a month or so afterwards.

"It is the sort of injury that, if you come back too early, the site is too soft and it will go again straight away.

"I've had enough problems with it already to come back too soon and, if anything, will give it more time than it needs."

Eadie underwent an operation to realign the cartilage in his knee last October after breaking down during pre-season training.

That ruled him out of a dismal season for the Foxes, who finished at the foot of the Premiership and were relegated to the Nationwide League along with Derby County and Ipswich Town.

Eadie, signed for £3.5million by Martin O'Neill in 1999, wants the chance to help Leicester win back their Premiership status at the first attempt.

Said Eadie: "I would like to stay and repay the faith the club have had in me while I've been out. If not, I will be available on a free transfer."