Elokobi boost on long road back

The left-back, who has been out since August with cruciate knee ligament damage, has been in rehabilitation since having surgery to repair the injury.

Elokobi received the go-ahead when he visited his consultant in London on the day of Wolves' 1-0 win at Crystal Palace.

But the 23-year-old, whose dedication was recently rewarded with a contract extension to 2011, accepts it will be a long road.

He said: "The specialist was really pleased and said I was ready for this next phase of light jogging.

"To start with it's just a case of jogging slowly and seeing how the knee feels, but it's great to be running on the grass again.

"I've been out for 26-27 weeks and this feels like another step closer to being fit. The knee feels good.

"Psychologically it's been tough and it's taken so much hard work from myself and the physios just to get out there.

"Running is just the next step, but we have to take it one day at a time and there's bound to be some form of reaction.

"As soon as it (knee) feels tired, it will be a case of bringing an end to the session."

Elokobi knows his season is over, but hopes to be ready to come back at full throttle in 2009/10.

He said: "I'm due to go back for a final assessment with him close to the end of the season and hopefully it will all be good.

"The target is still to be ready for pre-season. I'm going to be using the next eight weeks or so to get outside and work on my flexibility and strengthening the knee.

"I'm not even setting a target as to whether I can train again this season – it really is one day at a time."