Light at the end of the tunnel for hard-working Harry Lennon

George Jones reports

The majority of the Charlton squad went off on their holidays, following the Addicks’ final-day victory against Swindon Town at The Valley.

Harry Lennon was not one of them, though. The academy graduate had spent most of 2016/17 struggling with an injury sustained to his pubis and spent the month of April recovering from surgery.

And as his teammates headed for the airport, he headed for the training ground to begin his rehabilitation. Now, with the worst seemingly behind him, Lennon is beginning to see light at the end of the tunnel.

“I think they call it osteitis pubis,” he said “It has made it such a frustrating year for me.

“It puts a lot of stress around all the muscles near my groin, so it is quite a complicated one to sort out but we’re getting there now.
 
“Since the operation, I have felt a lot more positive about the injury. I feel much stronger now and hopefully at some point in pre-season I’ll be back training as normal.”

“It was tough seeing them all go on holiday at the start of May. I’ve been in four days a week since the end of the season but it is important for me to be in here.

“I can’t be on holiday or sitting at home doing nothing; that won’t help me. I want to sort it out now and hopefully get fit for the start of pre-season.”

After originally sustaining the injury at the tail-end of 2015/16, Lennon was able to get some time on the pitch in the Autumn time, before the problem returned.

He said: “In July, I had an injection and I was fine for three or four months. I was coming back to where I was, but I was in and out of the team so was never really match fit.

“I played the cup games but I never felt match fit or sharp and the injury started to creep back in at the end of October.”

His set-back means that he has yet to make an appearance under Karl Robinson.

Lennon says that he has been able to take confidence from what the Manager has said to him, and also from a hugely-successful loan spell he had a Gillingham in 2015/16.

He said: “The Manager has been very positive with me. He’s told me that I’m in his plans and things like that. He’s been very good to me so far.”

He added: “I can take confidence from that [spell at Gillingham]. I was playing well at that point and I felt very comfortable playing in League One.

“I like to think I’m good enough at this level and that I am capable of doing well at this level.

“I look back at that spell and think that, once I’m fit, I can push for a place in the team and help us to get back into the Championship.”