Doncaster Rovers: Mathieu Baudry back in business after '˜perfect' Achilles operation

The Frenchman returned to pre-season training slightly ahead of schedule with the rest of his Doncaster Rovers teammates at Cantley Park this week.

Boss Darren Ferguson is being careful not to push Baudry too hard.

But he told The Star that the centre back’s surgery “went perfectly” and was delighted with his condition when he reported back for testing last week.

Baudry missed the start of last season with an Achilles problem after joining from Leyton Orient but, after making his debut in late September, quickly became a key component of Ferguson’s promotion-winning team.

He missed the defeats to Exeter City and Hartlepool United at the end of last season to go under the knife in an attempt to make sure he was ready for the start of the new campaign.

“Frenchy’s trained both days,” said Ferguson, speaking on Tuesday afternoon.

“He probably won’t join in with some of it tomorrow because there’ll be a lot of twisting and turning and we’ve just got to be careful.

“But certainly by Saturday he’ll be joining in with that.

“He’ll have done everything else up to then though. He’s flying actually, he’s come back really really good.”

He added: “The operation went perfectly. Really good.

“That was the whole reason behind it, to make sure he was back.

“He’s a little bit ahead of schedule because we thought he would miss the first week.

“But he’s running really strongly and he looks good. He’ll be ready for the first game at Armthorpe, one hundred per cent.”

Rovers will play a behind-closed-doors practice match with Aberdeen during their forthcoming trip to Scotland.