SUNDERLAND'S injury-plagued winger Matt Piper would love to put two-years of frustration behind him by making a comeback at former employers Leicester City.

Piper has finally resumed ball work in training after stepping up rehabilitation following a major summer knee operation carried out by Dr Richard Steadman - the man responsible for saving the careers of Ruud van Nistelrooy and Alan Shearer.

It is the sixth time the 22-year-old has had to go under the surgeon's knife.

Since making a £3.5m switch from Leicester to the Stadium of Light in August 2002, Piper has made just 12 first team starts for Sunderland.

If everything goes according to plan he should be back playing for the reserves in October and a Championship bow against the Foxes on November 13 is not out of the question.

But Piper, admitting he feared his time as a professional footballer was on the verge of coming to an end, is taking nothing for granted.

"It would be good to be back in the squad in time for the Leicester game. I'm working really hard and I will keep my fingers crossed," said Piper.

"It was good going for the club to get me to see Dr Steadman. I had heard a lot about him. He has saved the careers of a lot of players and that helped ease my mind.

"I still had fears this summer, though, because when you go to see the best guy in the world, it is the last resort. You know that if he cannot sort it out, there is nobody else who will be able to help you.

"When you have had six operations like I have, you always tend to be a bit negative. But everything that has happened recently has been positive, and, although you do have doubts still, you have to put them to the back of your mind, believe in what the surgeon has done and get on with it."

Piper admitted he feels sorry for the Sunderland fans, who are yet to see the best from him

But he is determined to show his true worth. "The fans have been great,'' he said. "I have done nothing but suffer injuries since I have been here and have played too few games but, despite that, they have really got behind me.

"I know that it isn't my fault that I have had so many problems but it's inevitable that you feel a sense of guilt. I know that the club paid a lot of money for me but I haven't done the job I came here to do yet."

* Sunderland have had scouts watch Partick Thistle's Australian defender Adrian Madaschi

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