ROBBIE Willmott is desperate to play some part against Shrewsbury Town on Saturday after making his long-awaited comeback for Newport County AFC this week.

The left wing-back has been sidelined since October with a serious foot injury that threatened to keep him out for the remainder of the season.

But he has returned ahead of schedule and played 60 minutes in Tuesday’s development game in Plymouth.

Now Willmott hopes to persuade manager Justin Edinburgh to restore him to the first team squad for the Rodney Parade clash with the Shrews.

“It was good to be back,” said the 24-year-old. “I only trained once or twice before the game but the fitness part didn’t feel too bad.

“I’ve kept myself in good shape. I’ve done a lot of work in the gym and I’m probably in the best shape I’ve ever been in, to be fair.

“It wasn’t about the football so much; it was more about getting match fit and getting the sharpness back.

“It was a good run out – I played 60 minutes – and I’m itching to get back in.

“I’d like to be on the bench for Saturday but it’s up to the gaffer and the medical staff so we’ll see what they say.

“It will take me a little while to get back to where I was,” he added. “But I’ve put on about four kilos with the work in the gym and I’m doing everything I can to get back on that run I was on.”

Willmott revealed the full extent of the injury he picked up against York City on October 11 and his relief after surviving a few robust challenges in Tuesday’s match.

“The injury came from a small tackle and then people thought I bottled the second tackle and got hurt in that but the damage had already been done with the first one,” he explained.

“I played on thinking I could just run it off but the tendons had already torn off.

“I said to the doctor ‘I think I’ve broken my toe’ but when I had my MRI scan it was a bit more serious than we thought.

“I shredded two tendons off the bone and then the bone they were attached to cracked as well so I had to have that bone removed.

“Against Plymouth this week one of their lads should have been sent off,” he added. “He put me in the stands but I’m glad he did it looking back because it had to come.

“I laid the ball off and he took me from behind. I was thinking ‘I haven’t missed this’ but it’s part of football and I just took it on the chin.”