Thornton: back in two weeks

Sean Thornton says he's hoping to be back in first team action as soon as mid-December - possibly as soon as the away game at West Ham on 13th December.

The young Irish international injured ankle ligaments and was stretchered off in the Wear-Tyne reserves derby in October, and a setback to his recovery meant he was unable to travel with the Irish squad to the World Youth Championships in the United Arab Emirates.

But his recovery is progressing well and Thornton said today that he thinks he's hoping for a mid-December comeback. ""I'm about two weeks away. I'm hoping to start training next week, get fit and get back in the team.
Commenting on having to miss the World Youth Championships, he said ""It's a blow to miss out on the World Youth Cup because it's a good tournament. But I'm not there so I'm just concentrating on things at Sunderland.

"The quicker I can get back, the better."