Desperate Dance just weeks from a return

He revealed in our sister papers the News/Gazette yesterday that he is finally back running in training and is hopefully just a matter of weeks away from rejoining first team training.

Dance famously wore a mask last season to play just days after fracturing a cheekbone and having surgery to repair it.

And he’s frantic to get back, saying: “I hope that shows I’m desperate to come back as soon as I can. But it’s certainly weeks rather than months.

“All along I haven’t put a timescale on it because I was told not to... because I would frustrate myself too much, because I really would play tomorrow if I was given half a chance.

“The specialist said all along the foot would tell me when it’s ready. It can’t be rushed.

“If I had it my way I would have been playing some of the friendlies, but the physio, probably rightly so, is keeping me under wraps at the minute.

“I just have good days and not so good days. Obviously I had a lot of work done on my ankle, so some days it will be a lot sorer than others.

“It’s just about getting through the workload as quick as I can.”

And the 25-year-old midfielder knows he faces a real battle to get back into Luton’s midfield.

He said: “That’s part of the problem, the team that we’ve assembled now as you’ve seen are looking really strong.

“There’s a good unit there, which I do feel part of, but on the edge of it.

“I’m desperate to try and stake a claim to get in the 16 come Saturdays. That’s what I’m focused on.”

And he remains hopeful he can play a key role in Town’s promotion push.

On his targets for the season, he added: “Promotion first and foremost and then to play as big or as small a part as needed.

“I’m confident I can force my way back in and that’s the challenge I’ve set myself.”