Tate grateful after making return
Alan Tate
Defender Alan Tate has paid tribute to Swansea's medical team after making his return from a broken leg for the reserves.
Tate, 29, suffered the injury in a bizarre golf buggy crash in August and was expected to be out for at least six months, but he has managed to return in just over four and played 45 minutes in Wednesday's 1-0 win at Hereford.
He said: "I enjoyed it, it's good to be back, especially as I am two months ahead of schedule."
He added: "The medical team have been brilliant with me and the hard work has obviously paid off because I am back in four months rather than seven or eight.
"I am not 100% because the left leg feels weaker than the right, but that's because the muscle still needs building up again."
Tate has not featured for the Swans since captaining them in their opening weekend defeat at Manchester City and, although he knows he still has plenty of hard work ahead, he is already turning his thoughts toward a first-team comeback with the club sitting a solid 12th in the table.
"It's going to be hard to get back in the side because the lads have been doing really well," he said.
"But I'd prefer the team to be doing well and me have to fight to get back in rather than walk straight back in a team that is bottom of the league. If I get back in I will have worked hard enough to earn it."
Dutch midfielder Ferrie Bodde, who has been ravaged by knee injuries in recent seasons, also played 45 minutes, while new signings Rory Donnelly and Darnel Situ saw out the full 90 minutes at Edgar Street.
The Welsh club have also confirmed that winger David Cotterill has been allowed to leave by mutual consent. The 24-year-old, signed from Sheffield United in January 2010, has not featured this term and has had the remaining 18 months of his contract cancelled in order for him to find another club.
Press Association
