BLACKBURN Rovers midfielder Steven Reid is using Michael Owen's comeback as inspiration in his own personal battle to overcome a serious knee injury.

Reid is currently working around the clock in his bid to recover from the cruciate knee ligament injury he sustained in a freak training accident at Brockhall in January.

And after watching England striker Owen return to action with Newcastle following nine months out with a similar problem earlier this week, the Republic of Ireland international is even more determined than ever to try and get back in time for the start of next season.

Reid, who has already resumed light training, said: "It does spur you on when you see people like Michael coming back.

"It took him quite a while to get back playing again and hopefully I'll recover from my injury a little bit quicker than he did.

"But he looked sharp and he looked strong on Monday night (at Reading), and they're saying he's actually stronger than he's ever been.

"When you hear that it does encourage you and hopefully that will be the case with me as well.

"If you go back nine or 10 years, Roy Keane did his (cruciate knee ligament) and he got back and was one of the top players in the world during the latter stages of his career.

"It's pretty much a 100 per cent recovery rate now because they've improved the procedure compared to a few years ago, so I'm hoping to come back fitter and stronger and hopefully in time for the start of next season."

Reid was poised to return to the first team in January, having spent the previous four months sidelined with a back injury, when he felt his knee go following a collision in training.

Scans then revealed he had ruptured his cruciate ligament, confirming his first worst fears, and he underwent surgery shortly afterwards.

An initial prognosis suggested he could be out for anything between six and nine months, but Reid is making steady progress in his rehabilitation so far, and he hopes to be near to a first team return by the start of next season.

He said: "It's going really well. It's three months since I had the surgery and we're pretty much on course, in terms of the targets we set when I first got injured.

"I'm happy with the way things are going and so are the medical staff.

"It was hard to get my head around it at first but we've got a good medical team at the club, and I've got my friends and family so they've helped me through a tough time.

"I also became a dad a few months ago and to come home and see my little daughter smile spurs me on, too.

"That probably happened to me at the right time because it's given me something else to focus on.

"They say it's six to nine months for an injury like this so that's the target at the moment, and if I can get back within that then I'll have done really well