Michael Hughes (right) is hugely frustrated by his limbo status

Michael Hughes has tried to stay optimistic but it hasn't been easy.

Words such as "shambolic" and "ridiculous" pour out from his mouth as he tries to articulate the injustice of the past year.

Hughes' club career has been in limbo for nine months because of a dispute between Birmingham and Wimbledon.

The Northern Ireland winger joined Birmingham on loan in March 2002, believing he had an agreement on a permanent three-year deal if the club got promoted to the Premiership.

However, an ankle injury forced Hughes to return to Wimbledon after just three games for the St Andrews club.

Birmingham then told him the three-year deal was no longer valid because he had not completed the loan spell.

That has left Hughes without a club since August and he has had to rely on handouts for the Professional Footballers Association with neither club prepared to pay his wages.

It is only in the last couple of weeks that Hughes has noticed chinks of light in this dark tunnel.

Hopefully when this is over some clubs will come in for me Michael Hughes

"At least I've got a date now when the FA tribunal will discuss the case and things should, hopefully, be a bit clearer after that," says Hughes with a sigh.

"Birmingham and Wimbledon will be involved in that particular hearing which is expected to take two days.

"Whichever club is deemed to hold my registration by the FA tribunal will hopefully compensate me at that stage but the way things have been going, the loser will probably dispute it".

Until it's all over, Hughes' career will remain in limbo.

The Larne man reckons clubs have been advised to steer clear of him until the matter is resolved.

He is scathing about what he perceives as a lack of support from both the Premiership and the FA.

"I'd like to know exactly what they do because not one of them has stepped up to help me during this mess".

At least, Portsmouth Harry Rednapp has invited him to train at Portsmouth in recent weeks but it's just been a case of his former West Ham boss giving the player a chance to regain some level of fitness.

Hughes is grateful for McIlroy's support

"Hopefully when this is over, some clubs will come in for me.

"I view myself as a Premiership player and I'm still only 31 which isn't that old and I've played nearly 70 times for my county".

He has been grateful for Sammy McIlroy's support over the past year.

And Hughes hopes getting a late call-up to the Northern Ireland squad for this upcoming games against Armenia and Greece is an indication that his luck is changing.

"I just want to play football. I don't want to be a lawyer which is what I've felt like at times over the past year.

"I'm just amazed it has come to all this.

"Is my case going to set some kind of precedent where clubs can just say:'You're not our player any more. We're not paying you. Off you go'?

"Something has got to be done".