DAVID Dunn has backed Steven Reid to reproduce his form of old after the Irish midfielder finally ended his injury nightmare.

Reid was back in competitive action for the first time in 14 months on Monday night as he played almost an hour in Blackburn Rovers reserves' 5-0 thumping of Sunderland at Ewood Park.

The 27-year-old has suffered a catalogue of injuries that have kept him sidelined since August last year.

After initially sustaining a back problem, he was later ruled out for the rest of the 2006/07 season after suffering cruciate knee ligament damage in a freak training ground accident.

And just as Reid hoped to make a comeback near the start of the current campaign, a hamstring tear then set him back a further three months.

However, the Republic of Ireland international emerged from his injury hell on Monday night, coming through 55 minutes of action unscathed for the club's second-string.

Among those watching on in the Ewood crowd was Rovers team-mate Dunn, who has suffered his own injury problems in the last couple of years.

Now the former Birmingham star, who is finally injury-free and getting back towards his best, believes Reid can do the same after hailing his return as a 'massive boost' for the club.

"It's great to see Reidy back out there. He's a superb player and I can't wait to see him back in the team," said Dunn.

"The last time he broke down I was out there in training and it reminded me of when I kept on doing my hamstring.

"I knew what he was feeling. It's an awful thing. A lot of people don't see that about football, but it has been a difficult time for Reidy.

"I almost don't want to talk about the time he broke down because it's nearly right again and I'm so wanting him to get back to full fitness.

"But he's got a great attitude and he's at a good club that thinks the world of him, so I'm sure he will come back well."

Reid, a £2.5million signing from Millwall in the summer of 2003, last made a first-team appearance for Rovers in a 2-0 home defeat to Chelsea on August 27 last year.

His return is set to spice up a Rovers midfield that is already fiercely competitive, with Dunn, Tugay, Robbie Savage and Aaron Mokoena jostling for places in the centre of the park.

But Dunn is relishing the prospect of playing alongside the Irish dynamo.

He said: "Reidy's an up and down player and has got a great range of passing.

"He gets the odd goal, which will be great for us, and it just shows that all over the pitch now, we've got competition for places.

"You can't have too many bad games and still be on that teamsheet, which is good. Everybody is looking over their shoulder."