FIT-AGAIN midfielder Chris Taylor is itching to make his full Blackburn Rovers return in Saturday’s home clash with Ipswich Town after emerging from his injury nightmare.

Taylor had no idea he would go nearly six months without playing after feeling his groin go in a training session ahead of the Easter Saturday success at Leeds United last season.

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But, after undergoing an operation to solve the problem that continued to plague him in pre-season, he feels he is now closer than ever to making his first appearance for the first team since March 21.

Taylor scored during a 45-minute run out in a behind-closed-doors friendly with Fleetwood Town last week.

And on Monday night he stepped up his recovery by opening the scoring in Rovers Under-21s’ 3-0 victory over Brighton & Hove Albion at Ewood Park.

Taylor, who played 75 minutes of the U21s Premier League encounter, said: “I’m itching to get out there for the first team – like you wouldn’t believe.

“Being out there again at Ewood felt really good. I’m just glad to be back and you don’t release just how much you miss it until you can’t play.

“Will I be involved on Saturday? That’s a call for the gaffer to make. All I can do is do what I’ve done tonight – and that’s put in a decent performance.

“I felt good and I’m sure that will get back to him and we’ll take it from there.”

After missing the final eight matches of last season Taylor returned to full training in the summer after signing a new one-year deal.

But the 28-year-old suffered a recurrence of the injury when Rovers were away in Portugal.

“I was training, and the running was fine, but when I got back into the football I just felt there was a lack of power there with my striking and stuff,” said Taylor.

“Eventually I hit one in Portugal and I felt it go again. That’s when I took the option to go under the knife.

“Touch wood my groin feels strong now and I’m looking forward rather than backward.

“I’ve not felt like this for a good while, since the back end of last season when I was fit and well.

“It’s took a while, I’ve had to be patient, and the medical staff here have been very patient with me and I’ve very grateful to them all.

“You kind of take it for granted when you’re fit and one little incident in training, you’re six months away from being fit again.

“It was a shock to the system but hopefully that’s all behind me now and I’m looking forward to getting back into the first-team picture.”

Former Rovers midfielder Damien Johnson, who is the club’s U21s lead coach, was delighted by the performances Taylor and Sacha Petshi produced on Monday.

Johnson said: “It was a great experience for our younger lads playing alongside them and they showed what terrific pros they are.

“Chris Taylor, he’s been out a long time, but the type of pro that he is, he was able to last that length of time, and it was just a terrific all-round midfield display from him.

“Off the ball, tracking back, making tackles, picking up second balls, and on the ball he was creating things for us and he scored his goal.

“We’ve got a lot of good young midfielders at the club and it’s vitally important they learn from people like Chris and Sacha because that’s the standard that’s needed to kick on at this club.”