New goal for forgotten Hughes

If Stephen Hughes makes just one Premiership appearance in the coming months he will consider his season a huge success.

Most players set themselves ambitious targets at the start of the new campaign but the former Arsenal midfielder has already exceeded his wildest expectations - he is kicking a football again. Hughes has not played a first-team game for almost two years and there was a time when he feared he may not train again.

The 27-year-old suffered blood poisoning after undergoing groin surgery at Watford in October 2001, condemning him to months of tortuous rehabilitation.

His recovery was hardly helped when Watford, hamstrung by financial constraints, chose to release him this summer before Charlton gave him a lifeline. Manager Alan Curbishley invited Hughes to train with the squad during preseason and, impressed by his commitment, has given him a further opportunity in the form of a sixmonth contract.

There can be few better places to convalesce than The Valley and although he will almost certainly not be a starter in tonight's game against former club Everton, he is just glad to be a contender again.

Hughes said: "After my surgery I wondered if I'd ever play again but luckily I'm back. During the rehab the only thing on my mind was playing football again and I've got the chance to do that now. I don't want this to sound like a sob story but everything from now on is a bonus.