Defender Asa Charlton admits it may now be “ambitious” for him to think of playing any part in AFC Telford United’s pre-season fixtures.The Bucks start training for the 2008-09 season this weekend, but Charlton will not be joining in with his team-mates as he continues his recuperation from a double hernia operation.

And that is taking longer than hoped, with the 30-year-old now facing up to the prospect of having to wait until August before he is ready to start playing again.

“I don’t think I will be able to start pre-season and I think I am going to have to do most of it with the physio, to be honest,” he revealed.

“One of the holes in the hernia was three fingers wide and the other was almost two wide. A normal hernia is only about one, so they were both pretty bad.

“They had to cut through quite a lot of the muscle and I’ve been in a right state for the last few weeks. I still can’t do any sort of muscle work.

“For me to play any part in the pre-season games may be ambitious, though I’m still hoping to get a couple of games in.

“I’m suspended for the Shropshire Senior Cup games and the first game of the season, so that gives me a little bit more time and I’m not going to rush it, because I did too much damage to myself last season.”

Charlton admits he pushed himself beyond his limits last season, playing when not really fit as the Bucks were forced to contend with an injuries galore.

But that should not be the case this season, especially with new signings to improve the club’s options.

“Last season the team pretty much picked itself because we had so many injuries,” he added.

“But this season we’ll have Indy Khela back from his injury and we’ve got Gavin Cowan who’s come in too, so there’s more options.

“I’ll just have to get fit and wait for my chance.

“If they start well then it might be hard for me to get in the team.”

By Chris Hudson