BLACKBURN Rovers midfielder Barry Ferguson has been given the green light to start pre-season training.

Ferguson will return to action on Monday, 10 days ahead of the rest of his team-mates, after making a successful recovery from a serious knee injury.

The Scotland midfielder underwent a minor operation last week to have the wires removed from the kneecap he broke against Newcastle in December.

Now the former Rangers star is on target to make a playing comeback during Rovers' pre-season trip to Germany.

"Things have gone well for me over the summer," said Ferguson, who can finally see an end to his six-month injury nightmare.

"I had three weeks off to go on holiday then I came back and did a bit of running last week before going into hospital to have the wires taken out of my knee, so that's me ready to go now.

"I've got the all-clear so I'm hoping to start training again on Monday, 10 days before the rest of the boys come back, and I'll be ready to play in our first pre-season friendly."

News of Ferguson's imminent return is a massive boost to Graeme Souness, who has badly missed his influence from midfield over the last six months.

Souness had hoped the Scot might have been ready to return at the back end of last season but the wires in his knee began to cause discomfort and Ferguson was forced to shelve any comeback plans.

Thankfully, those problems now appear to have been solved and the 26-year-old can finally see some light at the end of the tunnel following a difficult first year in English football.

"It's been pretty horrible, particularly as the injury came at a time when I felt I was just settling down and starting to play the way I know I can," said Ferguson. "To then get injured was devastating but these things happen in football and, hopefully, it's all behind me now."