Scharner ready to fight

Last updated : 26 March 2007 By Liam Cooper
The Austrian midfielder has been out for almost three months after knee surgery, and made his first team return against Fulham for the last fifteen minutes; he has since continued his return to fitness with a reserve outing
Sharner eager to start
against Bolton.

And although he put through his own goal, the 27-year-old feels like he hi back to full fitness: "It was an eventful night for me. I thought I did well during the game, but it was a bit unfortunate at the end as the winning goal for Bolton came off my knee.

"These things happen in football, though. I'd much rather be out there involved in incidents like that than still be back in the treatment room."

With things tight at the bottom, Scharner hopes to continue his push towards a return to first team with an appearance against Charlton in a crucial six-pointer for both sides.

Scharner said: "I will be doing all I can over the next week to push for a place because I feel really good now, 100 per cent back to full fitness.

"I feel so much enthusiasm again after so long out.

"Playing matches makes all the difference. You can train as hard as you like, run and run, work in the gym, but you just can't replace the adrenaline of competition.

"Of course, reserve matches are not quite as high a level of energy as in the first team, but it is definitely a step up from the training ground."