Kevin Thomson says he is on course to start pre-season training after rising from the depths of despair following a knee injury suffered in November.

"I had a hard, hard time to start with," said the 24-year-old Rangers midfielder. "It was tough and I thought it was just not going to be.

"The complications that I had to say the least were not great.

"I said I had to show character and mental strength and I have kept my head down and come out the other side."

Thomson missed most of the 2004/05 season while with Hibernian after suffering a cruciate ligament injury.

And he believes that, while there were still difficult times during the present recovery from another career-threatening injury, the experience has stood him in good stead.

"It was quite a bumpy ride for the first eight weeks or so, but since I have overcome that and had the operation, it has gone smoothly," he said.

Three points on Saturday would give us a great advantage and stand us in good stead, but I still think it will go down to the wire Rangers midfielder Kevin Thomson

"I am just past the four-month mark and I hope to be back for pre-season. That has been my goal and, whatever date that is, I am pretty confident I will be ready to go.

"If you ask 100 footballers if they were excited about pre-season then 99 would say they are not. But, for the first time in my career, I am.

"It is a hard slog pre-season, but I am certainly looking forward to it and getting the boots and training kit back on."

Thomson is hopeful of continuing where he left off, having begun to win over his critics among the Rangers fans and the media following an indifferent first season at Ibrox.

"To start with, it was a bit patchy," he said of form that improved at the start of his second season with the Glasgow club following his £2m move from Hibs.

"It was great to see the light at the end of the tunnel and I was starting to fly.

"I was happy with my game three to four weeks before my injury and it was good to win the appreciation of the supporters and the press, but I still felt there was more to come."

Thomson admits to being frustrated at having to sit on the sidelines at a time when every match has become crucial in the title race, next up being Saturday's visit to Ibrox by city rivals Celtic, who hold a one-point lead in the Scottish Premier League.

"The boys have done ever so well and shown great strength of character to win six or seven on the bounce," said the midfielder.

"Three points on Saturday would give us a huge advantage and put them in front with three games to go, but I still think it will go down to the wire."

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