Injured striker Carlton Morris has opened up about the mental strain of his rehabilitation – and his determination to find full fitness for Norwich City.

The 22-year-old suffered a serious knee injury in the cruellest of fashions last season, damaging his anterior cruciate ligament at Wembley as loan club Shrewsbury were beaten in the League One play-off final.

After surgery in June the academy product is now working hard to make his return to full training before the end of the year.

'It's hard to see my colleagues and friends going out to training every day, knowing how much I'm missing it, and it's been coming on a bit more,' Morris said. 'That feeling became a bit more intense and then the season started.

'Then you watch the games from behind the dug-out and it's hard to explain, it's like a feeling like you're literally itching to get on there and play, and show what I can do and help the team in the way I know I can.

'So it has been frustrating at times but also it acts as a really good form of motivation for me, to keep me going in the gym, when I'm doing a leg press, or sets, or on the bike and I don't think I can get through it – I think back to that feeling of how much I want to get back out there and stay fit.

'It's not easy being in and around it all the time, not being able to take part in whatever the lads are doing, so it is a really tough mental test but it's something you've just got to get your head down with and get on with.'

Eastern Daily Press: FA Youth Cup winner Carlton Morris has made just one senior appearance for City, in March 2015 Picture: Richard Calver/Focus ImagesFA Youth Cup winner Carlton Morris has made just one senior appearance for City, in March 2015 Picture: Richard Calver/Focus Images (Image: ©Focus Images Limitedwww.focus-images.co.uk+447814 482222)

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The powerful forward is the last of City's 2013 FA Youth Cup winners still at the club but still has just one Canaries appearance to his name, as a substitute back in March 2015. Ten goals in 53 games for Shrewsbury was his most successful loan yet though and Morris has his sights set on recovery.

'I've never been so happy to run before,' he added, speaking to City's Youtube channel. 'I just couldn't stop smiling on the AlterG (anti-gravity treadmill). I hate running usually so that was a real big step in my recovery and the next one will be out on the grass so I just can't wait for that.

'There will be a time for counting down to when I can actually say I'm fit, when it becomes weeks rather than months, so at the moment I'm just taking it day by day and looking forward to getting outside and getting my head down.'

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