His name has been on the squad list since May 2006 - but midfielder Kevin Horlock is a player whose name hasn't been on a Saturday afternoon team sheet for a very long time. Injuring his knee prior to the changeover in management at Doncaster Rovers, the former Northern Ireland international had yet to play a first-team game for new manager Sean O'Driscoll. Horlock's return looked to be a near certainty during the summer of 2007, with Horlock fully recovered from his knee injury. That was until the midfield veteran's luck was to take another dip, when he dislocated his shoulder during pre-season. Months later - Horlock finally made his first appearance for Sean O'Driscoll; playing in a training match against Leeds United at Cantley Park.

"It was nice to have a run-out. It's been a very frustrating time for me. I think that it has been a very frustrating time for supporters as well - to see me getting injured so early after being out for so long. It's a long old roll in the gym sometimes, when you are on your own. Finally, today I got to pull the kit on. It felt strange in some ways; a lot of the lads gave me stick after seeing me in the kit for the first time. My breathing was off a little bit; there is still a lot of fitness that I need to work on - but I got through it without an injury, which is good! Hopefully I can kick on now and get as fit as I can. Now I can hopefully push for a place in the squad."

Horlock played for an hour, in a game that was separated into three half-hour periods of play. Despite the midfielder struggling initially in terms of his fitness, Horlock settled down into the game and admits that even though the game wasn't his best by far, the feeling of getting back in the kit was valuable in other ways.

"Playing the game was a massive confidence boost for me. Like I said, it's been a frustrating time for me  in terms of injuries. My knee feels great and then I have gone and done my shoulder, which was gutting for me after being out for so long. Over the last couple of weeks, I am feeling as if my shoulder is all good. I still need to strengthen it - but I can do that whilst I am getting my fitness back, keep myself intact and hopefully, go from strength-to-strength."

For a player at 34-years of age, some supporters, arguably, would believe that a long spell out with injury would make him question his ability to still play at a high level - however if people are thinking that - Horlock is not one of them.

"I have everything to prove still. I may be getting on a bit now, but I feel fresh and I am ready for the challenge. When I came here, I was excited. It was the first time in a long time; I was excited to come here to Doncaster. Nothing has changed. If it has changed for any reason, it's only heightened it. I feel that I have let everyone down being injured for so long and now I am back, I feel that I still have a lot to offer the team - hopefully for the rest of the season."

"As far as I am concerned, I have done the easy bit in getting over the injury. For me, the hard work starts now. I've got to get match fitness and break into what is a very strong squad. Everybody knows how strong our squad is, so it is going to be difficult. But I am willing to work hard at it to get in. I'm not just here at Doncaster to see my career out - I'm here to push and play first team games - and those lads who are in the first team; I'll be pushing all the way."