It's been almost 18 months since he played for Norwich City but Louis Thompson is starting to feel strong in body and mind again.

The 23-year-old midfielder was establishing himself as a Canaries player when he ruptured an Achilles heel during a 3-2 home defeat to Leeds in November 2016. Thompson suffered a recurrence of the serious injury along the way but is on course to return during pre-season.

'I feel good, I've got a few more weeks of rehab and hopefully I'll be ready to go for pre-season,' the Swindon Town academy product said. 'I'll keep working throughout the summer, I won't have the same summer as the boys, I don't really need it, I've had quite a few months of resting.

'Now it's time for me to get ready to help the boys in their push for promotion next season.'

The combative midfielder admits it has been a testing time for him on the sidelines though.

'I'd be lying if I said I hadn't struggled at times,' he continued. 'I've had a fantastic support network behind me, my fiancé and my family have really supported me, along with the club as well.

'I think without them I would have really struggled but I'm over the worst part night and now it's about getting back on the grass and enjoying football again.'

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That last match 18 months ago was just Thompson's third start for City but he is confident he can rediscover his promising form.

'I'll get there,' he said. 'We've got a fantastic sport science team, who will get my CV (cardiovascular) levels where they need to be and from there, once I'm back on the ball it'll be like I've never been away.

'I've got good players around me as well, so we'll get there in the end, it's just how long that will be I'm not sure.'

Thompson joined Christoph Zimmermann and Onel Hernandez in training at Pro Box Norwich as City showed their support for Sam Sexton ahead of his televised British heavyweight title defence against Hughie Fury on May 12.

'I boxed as a boy and I also boxed when I was in my (protective) boot and I couldn't walk,' Thompson added.

'It was a lot of seated boxing, it's trying to get on top of your brain when you're tired, that's where it crosses over into football as well, to think clearly when you're tired. It's nice to see how pros like Sam and the best of the best do that.'