SAM Vokes said his first goal since suffering a cruciate knee ligament injury in March ‘means the world to me’.

The 25-year-old striker netted 13 minutes after coming off the bench in the FA Cup third round tie with Tottenham at Turf Moor to force a replay.

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The strike released a surge of emotion for Vokes, who was making his second appearance off the bench for the first team since suffering the injury on March 29.

He admitted that it put the nine months of rehabilitation work into perspective, and also paid tribute to the medical staff at the club who helped him along the road to recovery.

“It means the world to me,” said Vokes, who kept in touch with fellow cruciate injury victim Jay Rodriguez during his lay-off.

“It puts nine months’ work into perspective really, it was a great feeling to get back out there and score. It was all a bit of a blur.

“There was (a lot of emotion).

“The lads were great. They all came over and congratulated me and I had a few CONTINUED: PAGE 39 nice comments afterwards, it means a lot and it’s nine months of work in the gym paying off.

“I’ve got to thank all the staff behind the scenes, from the physios to the sports scientists who have put a lot of hours and hard work in with my rehab.

“It has been a long haul and it’s all worthwhile now and I’d like to think I’d get a few more now.”

Vokes made his return in the Boxing Day fixture against Liverpool, when he got 10 minutes off the bench, and he was in line for further action until he picked up a chest infection which kept him off the substitutes bench until Monday night.

The Wales international admitted he had been through tough times over the last nine months, as he watched his team-mates first secure promotion and then start their Premier League campaign.

“You go through some hard times, mentally and physically really in the gym and at home when you’re stuck on the sofa,” he said.

“It’s nice to come out of the other side of that and hopefully I can kick on now.

“I do (remember my last goal), it was one of the last times I was here, Doncaster from the penalty spot, at the same end.

“It feels like a long time ago now, a lot of things have happened since then with promotion and everything that goes with that.”

In the early stages of his recovery Vokes sought out others that had gone through a similar rehabilitation, and he has stayed in touch with former Claret Jay Rodriguez, now at Southampton, who suffered a similar injury in April but has seen his comeback delayed after a minor setback.

“I spoke to a lot of people that had come through that kind of injury,” said Vokes.

“At the end of day 15 to 20 years ago you’d be lucky to get back out on the pitch. It’s one where you look for inspiration and there is a lot out there now.

“I spoke to Jay in the week and he was here for the Liverpool game. He’s struggling a bit with his knee but he’s another strong character and I’m sure he will come through it.”

The next challenge for Vokes, who scored 21 times in 44 games before his injury last season, is to regain his place in the starting line-up, but he will find it difficult to dislodge Ashley Barnes, who has four goals in his last 11 games.

“Barnesy and Ingsy have been fantastic up front,” said Vokes. “It’s certainly good for the team for the strikers to be scoring goals and for the competition up there.”