By Matt Majendie BBC Sport

Gough's career still remains in doubt

On Tuesday Darren Gough and Yorkshire finally came to an agreement to keep the player at Headingley for the start of the season.

The Tykes, though, have given the England fast bowler just a three-month deal, undoubtedly a testament to the fragile nature of his knee.

His troubled joint has continually been on the back pages with speculation that he may never play again, let alone pick up another international cap.

Gough commits to Yorkshire

The 32-year-old's dire run on the sidelines dates back to last March 2002 when he returned from the trip to New Zealand unable to play because of his knee.

Reports from Headingley insisted the small tear to his right cartilage would be repaired in time for him to bowl at the start of the season.

At the time, Gough had said rather ambitiously: "I don't see it as a major problem and I reckon I'll be fit for April."

Needless to say, his recovery did not go to plan and by May specialists informed him he would need to go under the surgeon's knife for a second time.

Darren Gough's injury nightmare March 2002: Breaks down in New Zealand with knee injury and undergoes first op May: Ruled out of Sri Lanka Test series July Dealred fit for end of NatWest series August: Has second knee operation November: Flown back from Ashes tour injured December: Told no more operations needed March 2003: Agrees deal with Yorkshire

It left England without his services for the Test series against Sri Lanka but reports made it clear he would be back in time for the one-dayers.

He was duly selected for those one-dayers, but at the end of June the knee flared up again.

Despite that, he was declared fit to take on Sri Lanka and India in the latter stages of the NatWest Series.

But his summer of discontent was long from over and specialists hinted his return had been premature.

While initially confident of making an appearance in the Test series against India, he eventually missed all three games.

And from the end of July onwards, the talk was all about whether his knee would make the trip to Australia for the winter Ashes tour.

Then when he underwent surgery for a third time in mid-August, talk had turned less to the Ashes and more to the end of the Barnsley bowlers career.

By then, Gough had refused to speculate, saying: "It's my third time, but I would have hpoed to be fit after the first one."

In the process he confirmed he would play no more cricket until the Ashes tour, if fit and selected.

By October, reports suggested he was winning the fitness battle, England coach Duncan Fletcher saying all-rounder Andrew Flintoff had now become the major injury concern.

If I didn't think I would be good enough to get back into the England side, I wouldn't be carrying on Darren Gough

Gough, who had by then spent five weeks at Lilleshall, was already bowling off a short run-up.

On that, he was selected for the touring party but on 9 November was sent home.

After visiting a specialist in America, he has continued to talk about finally making his comeback.

The fact that Yorkshire have re-signed him is testament to his fighting spirit though the short nature of his contract raises questions about whether the Gough of old will ever return to the crease.

Needless to say, Gough disagrees.

"When I left Australia someone told me the best thing I could do was find myself another job - and yes, remarks like that make you worry if your career might be over," he said.

" If I didn't think I would be good enough to get back into the England side, I wouldn't be carrying on."

Only time will tell.