Hungerford Town manager Danny Robinson delighted as Conor McDonagh returns to training
Conor McDonagh is back in training for Hungerford Town.
The deadly striker joined the club from Swindon Supermarine in 2023, going on to score 25 goals last season.
Back in August there was heartbreak however, as McDonagh learned that he would require knee surgery.
This has ruled him out of action so far this season, but the 32-year-old is now back on the grass.
“Conor is one of the best players I’ve ever worked with,” said manager Danny Robinson.
“The goals he scored last year, he had no right to get half of them!
“It’s brilliant to see a smile on his face, because it’s been a long, hard slog for him.
“He’s going to do his training until the end of the season, then he should be fully fit to start pre-season.
“It’s massive for us. We’re excited.”
Strikers such as Jose Marquez, Kyle Tooze, Rafa Ramos, Jordon Ibe and Joe Beardwell currently fill the McDonagh shaped hole at Bulpit Lane, but Robinson insists that everybody starts as equals in pre-season.
“Everyone starts with a clean slate,” he explained.
“Right from the very first session it’s down to them to prove why they should start.
“The squad will have a massive boost when he’s back and firing.
“But he knows he has to work hard to get in the side.”
There was more joy for Robinson on Saturday, as his side won 1-0 away at Frome thanks to a Jose Marquez strike.
“The pitch was hard as nails and they’re fighting for their lives,” he said.
“It could have been a different story.
“I have to credit my assistant Stu Davis.
“He saw something in the second-half and we put Max Ram in the centre of midfield.
“That gave us more of a foothold in the game.
“On balance did we deserve it? Probably not!
“But it’s three welcome points.”
The game was marked by a stellar Kyle Tooze performance, as the striker set up the winner just days after a personal loss.
“He’s the epitome of us,” said Robinson.
“He lost his mum on Wednesday night, and he was training with us on Thursday night.
“Then he goes and puts a Man of the Match performance in.
“He was phenomenal.”
There was deadline day business for Hungerford last week, as midfielder Billy Stedman arrived from Sholing.
He made one appearance for Coventry City as a youngster, before spells with Vikingur in Iceland’s second tier, Portadown in Northern Ireland, Bracknell and Sholing.
“He’s a creative player,” he said.
“Our midfielders are all robust, box-to-box.
“The Winchester performance probably triggered it, when we couldn’t break them down.
“He’s a creative spark, he can go both ways and he’s got pedigree.”
