PLAYMAKER Michael Doughty admits lessons have been learnt from his two injuries earlier this season after revealing his spells on the sidelines were prolonged by attempting to rush back onto the training ground.

Doughty netted five times in Town’s first six competitive fixtures this season, immediately promoting him to star player status in the opinion of the club’s fans.

After picking up a hip injury in Swindon’s Checkatrade Trophy tie against Newport County on September 11, the former Queens Park Rangers man spent five-and-a-half weeks on the sidelines before reappearing against Mansfield Town and Cambridge United.

Against Cambridge, Doughty was forced off the field with less than 20 minutes played after cutting his foot when challenged – his foot later became infected after injections were received prior to Town’s away tie at Notts County, a game which Doughty now admits he should not have played in.

However, Doughty stated that lessons have been learnt from his time spent in the treatment room.

And he’s now looking forward to continuing his return to peak physical and mental form, with four games scheduled before Christmas, starting on Sunday against Woking in the FA Cup.

Doughty said: “Your body can be very robust and very fragile at the same time.

“I’ve had two impact injuries now – one coming immediately after the other.

“You do start to second guess yourself and ponder if you will ever think about anything other than what is in front of you.

“Both injuries I got through wanting to contribute to the team – I probably rushed things too soon.

“I ended up playing when my hip wasn’t right, and I tried to play against Notts County when my foot wasn’t right.

“That’s a lesson learnt for me, because my spells on the side have been stretched significantly.

“In reality, if I listened to my body, I might’ve only had a couple of weeks out through injury.

“From that aspect, I’ve learnt more about patience and making sure I’m right physically.”

Meanwhile, the appointment of Richie Wellens as manager earlier this month has provided Town’s training ground with a wealth of fresh ideas and a kick up the backside for the club’s players – who on Tuesday secured back-to-back League Two wins for the first time this season when beating Stevenage.

Doughty added: “Every manager I’ve worked with has a different approach. Sometimes that different approach can naturally give players a bit of a lift.

“Certainly the new manager is strong in terms of his philosophy and the way he wants us to play."