McGowan aiming to be back ahead of schedule after 'really difficult' time out with injury

Aaron McGowan was in the stands watching Saturday's first game of the season.

‘It was a really difficult moment because of the situation we were in.’

Cobblers right-back Aaron McGowan is hoping to be back in action ‘very soon’ after four months out with injury.

The 26-year-old’s excellent first season ended in huge frustration when injury ruled him out of Cobblers’ final game of the regular campaign at Barrow as well as the two play-off ties against Mansfield Town.

McGowan was expected to be out until the end of September after undergoing surgery but, speaking on the Cobblers show on BBC Radio Northampton, he suggested he could be back sooner.

"Going back to it, it was a really difficult moment because of the situation we were in,” said the former Morecambe and Kilmarnock defender. “I played two games – Leyton Orient and Oldham – with the injury when I shouldn’t have done but sometimes people don’t know what players go through.

"Would I go back and change it? No, I wouldn’t, because of the position we were in. It’s been difficult, especially the first two or three weeks, and then having to watch the Barrow game and the play-offs on Sky with no-one knowing that I had just come out of surgery.

"You need to be mentally strong and I have used it as an opportunity to turn myself into more of an athlete. I have found positives in it and now I’m just raring to go. I’ve had some great news this week and I’ll be back soon. Very soon.”

But McGowan insists he will not rush his return, adding: "Obviously I want to be back as soon as possible but I have my own mini pre-season and some things can’t be rushed – I don’t want another issue when I come back. I want to make sure I am 100 per cent.”