Kelly reflects on 'frustrating' summer as she nears return to action | OneFootball

The midfielder was so determined to return for pre-season in the best possible physical condition that she endeavoured to do training sessions before the players reported back, although it was ultimately to her detriment.

Newcastle's number eight returned to pre-season injured and was forced to sit on the sidelines and watch her team-mates have a ball at their feet, much to her annoyance.

"It's been really frustrating," admitted Kelly, who has now not played competitive football since May 5th. "I was trying to do a lot of work before pre-season started and was getting to a stage where I was at a very good level of fitness.

"But to then pick up an injury and having to come in on the first day of pre-season injured was hard to take, especially when we had a load of new girls joining us."

As her team-mates got down to ball-work throughout pre-season, Kelly was left to run laps of the pitch and find different ways to better her strength and recovery.

The midfielder admits it was a difficult time mentally for her in what should've been an exciting new dawn with the club, but she's now closing in on a comeback and ready to help out wherever she can.

"It was a weird injury because it never made me completely immobile and I could get about everywhere, but I think that's what made it more difficult," she added.

"I always felt like I could do more with my body but was being told I had to rest and take it slow which I found hard.

"Mentally, it was quite tough to push myself through all of the recovery sessions but you always find a way and now I'm coming out the other side of it.

"I feel like I'm at a stage now where I'm looking sharp in training, ready to go and hopefully when called upon, I can do a job for the team."

Kelly was a reliable midfield general under Becky Langley last season - which makes Newcastle's unbeaten start to the campaign without her even more impressive.

The Middlesbrough-born midfielder was allowed to participate in the warm-up last Sunday, which left her smiling from ear to ear, and she now has a renewed eagerness to pull on the famous black and white shirt once again.

"It was amazing on Sunday with it being our first home game of the season," Kelly told newcastleunited.com.

"To be out there with the team and get a sense of what it'll be like when I'm fully back was just amazing.

"Being involved with the girls and feeling like I'm back in with the first team was a great moment."

United are one of only four unbeaten teams in the Women's Championship and currently sit sixth with four points on the board ahead of their trip to Portsmouth Women this weekend.

While Kelly has not been able to step out with her team-mates yet this season, she's been watching closely and believes that the Lasses have shown encouraging signs.

"I think it's been a great start by the team," she said. "I was with all of my family watching the game against London City Lionesses on telly and we were all impressed.

"The first two games have been very good but it's all about taking it game by game and not getting ahead of ourselves.

"Our aim is to always finish as high as we can in whatever league we may be in, but we're also realistic.

"We're not a team who are expected to be winning promotion at the first time of asking, but of course that is always an ambition for every team."