Southend United striker Tom Hopper is set to make his long-awaited return from injury in a friendly match against Maidstone United this afternoon, according to the Southend Echo.
The 25-year-old has been out of action for almost a year after suffering a cruciate ligament injury during Southend's 3-0 win over Walsall back in October 2018, but it now appears he is preparing for his first-team return.
Hopper is reportedly expected to feature in a behind-closed-doors practice match against National League side Maidstone, in what will be the striker's first taste of action since the Walsall match last year.
His return is timely for the Shrimpers as they are currently five points from safety in League One having made a disappointing start to the season which has seen them lose nine of their opening 11 matches.
The south-east club have also only managed to find the target on 12 occasions in the league since the start of the season, but Hopper's seemingly imminent return to the league side should give his team-mates a welcome boost.
The forward joined the Roots Hall outfit from Scunthorpe in the summer of 2018, and he scored an impressive seven goals in 14 league appearances before suffering his serious injury last term.
The Verdict
This is positive news for Southend fans who would have been forgiven for failing to remember the club even had Hopper in its ranks given the length of his injury lay-off.
However, his return will give the side a much-needed boost following their dismal start to the season which has placed them in serious danger of dropping into the fourth tier.
Hopper will surely be eager to make an impact when he eventually returns to the league side, and it will be interesting to see if he can form a fruitful partnership with Stephen Humphrys who has scored five goals so far this term.
Southend could find themselves in a much more encouraging position within the next few weeks if they can firstly appoint a new manager, and then successfully facilitate Hopper's return to the league side.
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