Davis plans patient return

Sean Davis took another step towards full fitness on Monday night after coming through a tough reserve team outing against Charlton Athletic.

Sean Davis took another step towards full fitness on Monday night after coming through a tough reserve team outing against Charlton Athletic.

The Tottenham midfielder is now on the brink of regaining his old sharpness as he recovers from knee surgery and a recent back problem that has kept him out for most of this season.

Spurs lost 2-1 to a strong Charlton line-up at the Valley. The Addicks included the former Spurs defender Chris Perry, Mark Fish, Jason Euell, Francis Jeffers and Jonatan Johansson in their side but Davis felt more than happy with his latest comeback game.

It was his second outing in a matter of days although he only featured for an hour in a training ground game last week.

Davis said: "It was a good game, much better than the one the other day and I enjoyed it. I'm getting there, obviously it is not going to come overnight as I haven't played a decent game of football for quite a while now. I'm just finding my feet.

"I felt pretty good towards the end so hopefully, with another 90 minutes, I should be getting back to full fitness fairly soon."

Although he wants to return to first-team action as soon as his fitness will allow him, Davis is determined not to rush.

He added: "I've been training hard and trying to work hard in training. You need games, that is the main thing, and if I can get a few more games at this level and tempo my stamina should improve. I am prepared to be patient, I've been out for so long and there is no need to rush it."

Perry, meanwhile, hopes to give manager Alan Curbishley a fresh selection poser during the final months of the season. The former Tottenham centre-back is now back to full fitness after a 13-match absence, following what first appeared to be problems with a groin strain but turned out to be related to an injured muscle on the pelvic bone.

During his enforced spell out of the side, Jonathan Fortune has settled into a solid partnership with Talal El Karkouri in the Addicks backline which has helped Charlton climb into the top half of the Premiership.

"We have got everyone back fit now and I don't know who Curbs will go with at the back," Perry said. "Jon and Talal have formed a good partnership at the back, but I suppose competition for places is just what the manager needs right now as we go into the final third of the season."