After almost four months on the sidelines, Brentford’s Kevin O’Connor is back from injury and itching to return to League One action – but he knows he may have a long wait.

O’Connor was carried off during the 1-0 win at Portsmouth in November with an ankle injury, and while he is yet to return to the first team, he has started his comeback in the development squad.

It is a case of lightning striking twice for the 30-year-old, after a foot injury ruled him out for much of last season.

However, this time he has had a friend to lean on in his fellow treatment room regular Farid El Alagui.

O’Connor said: “I cannot deny it has been very frustrating to be out for such a long time for the second season in a row.

“But at least I’ve had Farid with me, and we’ve helped each other through the really bad times, training together and encouraging each other. “We’ve really kept each other from bouncing off the walls.

“I’ve been training for about a month now, getting some time in the development games. It’s all about training hard and seeing where you go from there.”

Brentford sit third in the League One table following the Easter weekend, when a 2-1 win over Notts County preceded a 2-0 defeat at MK Dons.

O’Connor said: “It’s going to be exciting. The boys are doing so well, and although I want to be a part of it, I can see how it will be tough for me to get back in the side.

“They fully deserve where they’ve got to and we’re all hoping they can push on to get an automatic promotion spot.

“But if I am needed to lend a hand, come in and do a job, then I am ready and raring to go.”

In the meantime, O’Connor is happy to do his part on the training pitch, using his experience to help the younger players.

He said: “I try to lead by example when I am training. If the young lads see me training hard then it will hopefully spur them on to work harder.

“I am also here if they want to use my experience, talk about the pressure of being near the top, that kind of thing.”