'˜Phenomenal' Berry is two months ahead of schedule

Hatters midfielder Luke Berry could be playing for the club well before Christmas after making huge strides in his recovery according to boss Nathan Jones.
Luke Berry is getting close to a return for LutonLuke Berry is getting close to a return for Luton
Luke Berry is getting close to a return for Luton

The 25-year-old suffered a horrific dislocated left ankle and a fractured fibula against Colchester back in March and looked like he would face a lengthy period on the sidelines.

However, Berry is already back in light training with the Hatters and is currently being put through his paces on the club’s training camp in Slovenia.

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On when he might be expected back, boss Nathan Jones said: “We won’t put any timescale on it, but the way he’s progressing, I wouldn’t be surprised if he’ll be playing well, well quicker than that (Christmas).

“We’ve got to get him to a certain level, he’ll then plateau especially when we up everything and he integrates and so on, because it was not a nice injury.

“We’ll get him back safely but the pleasing thing is he’s healthy, he’s healing superbly well, he’s so far ahead of schedule and it’s a credit to him.”

Jones was also quick to praise the mental strength that Berry, who scored eight in 39 games after joining Luton from Cambridge last August, has displayed during his time on the sidelines.

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He continued: “He’s well ahead of schedule, he’s phenomenal.

“But the kid, since day one, he told me, ‘I’ll be back sooner than anyone ever managed imagined.’

“That positive PMA (positive mental attitude) that he has, that desire for work, the way he is, we call him sunshine now, because he is just a shining light every day he comes in.

“He’s a credit to himself and to everything he does and we’re so delighted to have him.

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“He’s not too far away, to see him running and he’s done ball work, it won’t be long before he’s integrating with training and then we’ll build him up.

“It was not a nice injury, but the way they did it and a credit to the surgeons, plus the way he is and how he’s worked, he’s two months ahead of schedule at the minute, which is phenomenal.”

Team-mate Harry Cornick was thrilled to see Berry back on track once more as well, adding: “It’s brilliant, it was a big loss for us when we lost him, not just him on the pitch, but off the pitch, in and around training.

“He’s a great guy and if he’s back he’s going to help us massively because he was a great player last year.”