Derby County head coach Steve McClaren has said that it was a "miracle" to see Shaun Barker back on the training field following his serious knee injury.
The defender spent three years on the sidelines after dislocating his right kneecap and damaging ligaments against East Midlands rivals Nottingham Forest in March 2012.
After undergoing three operations and having a lengthy recuperation period, Barker made his first start in February by playing for Derby's Under-21s in a match against Doncaster Rovers, and McClaren says that he is delighted to see the centre-back return to action.
"When I first arrived at the club and met him, I never thought he'd walk again," McClaren told Sky Sports News.
"I thought it was a miracle seeing him out there training with us. It was another miracle watching him play 45 minutes in a game, and he did very well. There he was, clattering into people and winning every header in the game."
Barker has played 105 times for Derby and remains club captain at the iPro Stadium.
Steven Toplis
