Just two months after sustaining an ankle injury which he feared might derail his young career, Josh Kay is back in action and looking to break into a side pushing for the Premier League a year after being in the sixth tier.

The 20-year-old had to be stretchered off three minutes into an under 23s match at Nottingham Forest in December, six weeks after playing his only professional game so far against Bristol City. But he has recovered from ankle ligament damage and is now hoping to take advantage of the departures of Conor Hourihane and Sam Morsy as well as Josh Scowen's injury.

Kay told the Chronicle: "I have worked on my fitness a lot while I haven't been playing and my sprint times are the fastest I have ever done. It has been frustrating because, with Scowy injured and Alex Mowatt suspended, I would have easily been on the bench at least if I had been fit. But I am just happy to be back.

"I went up for a header and landed badly. It was seriously painful and I've never felt anything like it. I heard a funny sound and thought I had broken my ankle and that I would be out for a long time.  But I saw it wasn't misshapen and it turned out it was ligament damage which isn't as bad as it could have been."

Kay has never been in a professional football club's academy, having had unsuccessful trials at Preston, Blackburn Rovers and his hometown club Blackpool. After impressing for Fylde in the National League North, he joined Barnsley on February 1 last year.

He said: "I was at a football college for a while but they let me go because I was focusing too much on the football and not doing enough work. My mum was always telling me I would have to get a job but I was always going to concentrate on becoming a professional footballer."

Kay's professional debut came a day after his 20th birthday and against the manager, Lee Johnson, who signed him for the Reds from non-league AFC Fylde in February 2016. He said: "It was the highlight of my career. To make my Championship debut from where I was a year ago is unbelievable. I still can't really believe it has happened. It is madness.

"I was a bit nervous in that game and some of my passes were off. "I didn't really want to take any risks or make mistakes, but next time I get the opportunity I will express myself more and show what I am capable of."

Barnsley's small first team squad and the end of emergency loans this season, mean under 23s are being used to fill in for injuries and suspensions. Kay said: "If you are at a Premier League club as an under 23s player, you will be on a lot of money but you won't have the pathway to the first team like we have at Barnsley.

"It only takes a few injuries and then you get a chance. There are some really good players in the under 23s team and quite a few of them could easily make the step up to the first team."