Neil Mellor is prepared to fight for a place.

By Redsfan
July 8 2005

Neil Mellor has shown yet again that he has the right attitude. He accepts he may have to settle for a place on the bench this season but he insists he’s more determined than ever to get in to the first team.

Mellor is fit again after recovering from surgery on both knees last season, forcing him to miss out on the Reds magnificent Champions League success.

Neil says:

"I can't expect to just walk into the side. There is no chance of that happening, so just to feature on the bench would be an achievement in itself," he said. "We've got some big reputations in the strikers we have got here.

"It has been frustrating knowing that I could maybe have been on the bench or appearing in a few of the Champions League games. But that is the way football is - you have many ups and downs.

"I knew that when I was having the operation, so hopefully I can come back stronger now.

"Every time I tried to run it was hurting me. Getting out of cars and bed it was constantly hurting me for over a year. I just needed something to be done about it, which is what I did.

"It has been frustrating, but it has been good to be around the lads when they've achieved so much success at the end of the season."