Wolves correspondent Tim Nash meets a man on a mission as trial winger Jerome Thomas bids to rebuild his career by winning a contract at Molineux.

Trialist Jerome Thomas admits he feels like football’s forgotten man.

But, after a nightmare year that left him with a stress fracture in his spine and without a club, he is out to make up for lost time.

Released by Portsmouth and forced out of Hull by boss Phil Brown’s decision not to take him on, the 26-year-old left winger arrived at Compton yesterday and plays in tonight’s friendly at MK Dons eager to prove a point.

He said: “I do feel forgotten but it happens. I don’t see it in a negative light. No-one knows how the injury happened. It’s not exactly a common football injury.

“But it’s happened, I’ve worked hard, the back feels great now and I’m 100 per cent. Once I start playing I think people will start to remember.”

But the freak injury has made Thomas more philosophical about his career, after 103 Premier League appearances for Charlton after coming through the ranks at Arsenal with Jermaine Pennant and ex-Wolves forward Jay Bothroyd.

The wide man said: “It made me realise just how quick this career actually goes. I’m ready now, my back feels better and I’m desperate to play, wherever I end up.

“Mentally I’ve got a different outlook after the year I’ve had off. It was a real reality check for me, so next season I want to play all the games, be they Carling Cup, FA Cup, whatever.

“It might have been a blessing in disguise, a wake-up call about just how short your career really is.

“If I can get 40 games under my belt this season hopefully everything will fall into place.

“I need to get in a team, score and set up goals which is my job. Then people will start to remember what I’m capable of.”

Despite the injury, Thomas insists he has the courage to play at the highest level.

He said: “I don’t mind the physical aspect at all, I think it suits me. I think if I was playing more last season then I’d have been in a better position to negotiate.

“But I’m only 26 so I think I’ve got another six or seven years at the top level.

“I think I’m going to be coming into my prime this season.”

Like his friend Pennant, who was at Arsenal and Portsmouth with him and has now joined Real Zaragoza, Wembley-born Thomas is prepared to go anywhere to relaunch his career, despite playing most of his career in or near the capital.

Thomas said: “It’s funny, because a lot of people my age are in a similar situation, people I grew up with.

“Jermaine Pennant is an example. He was at Portsmouth with me and now he’s gone to Real Zaragoza.

“I’m a London boy, but I’ve grown out of that now.

“Maybe when I was younger it could have been a bit of an issue and held me back.”