BILLY McKinlay is almost ready to put a nightmare year of injury heartache behind him and challenge seriously for a first team place again with Blackburn Rovers.

The Scottish international midfielder played a full 90 minutes for the reserves against Manchester United last night, came through unscathed and even collected a booking - "It's business as usual," he grinned afterwards.

McKinlay's last major contribution to the senior side was last February in the win at Villa Park.

He was then sidelined with a severe groin injury and a comeback bid at Arsenal in April had to be aborted.

Since then, it has just been a question of rehabilitation and McKinlay has had to sit by and watch as Rovers lost their Premiership place.

His own recovery has been hampered, most recently by a niggling back problem, but now he can't wait to start knocking on the first team door again.

"I feel good," he said after a prominent role against United Reserves last night.

"It's over a year since I played a game at Ewood, it was the Leeds match (January 9) when we won 1-0 and Tim Sherwood got sent off.

"But this is my third game now and that's the best I've felt tonight."

McKinlay admitted it is now probably as much a mental process as a physical one as he attempts to bridge the final gap.

But, in any case, he will leave it to others to deciode when he is ready for a return.

"That's not up to me," he said. "I just want to get games under my belt and see what happens."

"Basically, you lose your fitness and sharpness.

"I've been training for the past month now and you just get niggles.

"My groin has been reasonable it's just like the niggles in my back which is the kind of thing which happens when you are coming back.

"It's been stop-start and that has been the most frustrating thing.

"If someone tells you you are going to be out for a period it's bad enough.

"But, when you try to come back and stop-start, then it's worse. My back problems set me back about three weeks."

Manager Tony Parkes will welcome any available bodies back to strengthen his squad, though he will be wary of recalling McKinlay until he is 100 per cent sure he has recovered.

Lee Carsley filled the McKinlay role more than adequately and also became the team's leading scorer, thanks to his success with penalties. But, since Carsley dropped out of the side, first through illness then injury, Rovers have struggled. Meanwhile, there does not seem to have been any Ewood move for Colin Hendry - despite the fact that the Scot would welcome an approach.

Hendry is about to be released on loan by Rangers and, as we revealed on Monday, several Premiership clubs are keen to take him.

The defender, however, would prefer to rejoin Rovers and try to help salvage their season. But club have yet to intimate any interest.

Sunderland are continuing to be linked with a possible move for Rovers winger Keith Gillespie, as we reported last week.

They have recently lost Gavin McCann through injury for the rest of the season but Rovers said they had not received any approach for the Northern Ireland winger.

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