O'Neil's "Recovery" Sounds Frighteningly Like Ashton's

I don't want to wish ill on the lad, but reading O'Neil's account of his 'recovery' there are frightening similarities with the road not taken by Dean Ashton. O'Neil, like Ashton, is pleased to be running again, but the news that his surgeon had to change course during the operation does not bode well.

We all hope O'Neil makes a full and speedy recovery but I wouldn't put my mortgage on it. Word came out very quickly that he may never play again and six months down the road, he is still only at the running stage. Time and again, we were told that Ashton was inching back to fitness but he never recovered from his ankle injury - and O'Neil's sounds all too similar.

Fingers crossed the boy recovers. He is not everybody's idea of a West Ham midfielder but he always seems to give 100% in terms of effort - unlike a lot of the shower who were selected last season.