Wayne Carlisle sets out Shane Ferguson's comeback time frame for Rotherham United

ROTHERHAM United attacker Shane Ferguson is still weeks away from a return to full training as he bids to make a first-team comeback after undergoing three rounds of surgery in six months.

The winger is progressing well and is already working out on the grass at the club's Roundwood base following the third operation on his hernia issues.

However, it is likely to be January at the earliest before he is completely re-integrated into the first-team training fold.

“He's been out for a long time,” said Wayne Carlisle in his role as interim manager last week. “We've got to be really cautious with him; build him back up and just make sure his body builds the tolerance to the increasing load that's going through it.

Shane Ferguson, the Rotherham United winger who hasn't played for six months. Picture: Jim Brailsford

“He's had a lot of little niggles with all the different procedures he's had done.”

Ferguson's groin and stomach complaints have been bothering the former Millwall man for nearly 12 months. The 32-year-old managed to see out last season's Championship survival push but has been out of action since May.

Two operations failed to solve the problem, but there is hope in the Millers camp that the latest one has finally done the trick.

“Fingers crossed, Shane's on the upward slope,” Carlisle said. “As far as I know, at the minute he's got no pain complaints at all, which is brilliant.”

The club will continue to adopt a safety-first approach as they nurse the player, who made 74 appearances in his first two seasons at AESSEAL New York Stadium, back to fitness.

Carlisle added: “He might be back in some sort of training in December but I would say that in terms of full training - and with how cautious we've had to be due to the amount of time he's been out - it will be in the New Year.”

Ferguson was given a 12-month contract extension in the summer.