CLUB skipper Cliff Byrne has not given up hope of playing again this season – but he knows that time is rapidly running out.

The 28-year-old centre-back has been sidelined by a troublesome trapped nerve in his back for the past three months.

And during that time he has had to watch Scunthorpe United slip deeper and deeper into relegation trouble.

It hurt him deeply three years ago, the last time the Iron were relegated from Championship level.

And not being part of the action does little to lessen the pain this time.

"Being on the sidelines has been so frustrating," Byrne confessed.

"It's so difficult when you are not able to affect things on the pitch.

"The injury happened while I was slightly bending over putting my young son in the car.

"I have trapped a nerve and it has taken a lot longer to heal than we thought.

"But I'm getting there now. This week I have been out on the pitch a couple of times.

"It is going in the right direction, though not as quickly as I would have hoped for.

"I just have to be patient.

"My aim is to get back on the training pitch before the end of the season.

"Whether I can get back to fitness to make an impact on a match day, I am not too sure.

"But until the season is finished I will keep striving to get fit."

Byrne knows that United are staring down the barrel of relegation again.

With just seven games of the campaign remaining, his side are bottom of the table and eight points adrift of safety ahead of today's clash at home to leaders QPR.

However, he hopes the arrival of Alan Knill in the managerial hotseat can provide Scunthorpe with a much needed 'spark' ahead of the final run-in.

"It's difficult to put you're finger on what has gone wrong," the Iron defender insisted.

"People talk about habits. Dare I say we have got the losing habit and going out there on the pitch not believing we have a chance of winning.

"We have got to put that behind us, learn from it but not dwell on it.

"Hand on heart, it is going to be difficult for us now.

"But we have got a new manager in and hopefully he can give us that spark.

"He is different to the other managers we have known.

"But he has come in with fresh ideas and the players seem to be enjoying training and are bubbly again."

Byrne knows though, that it is out on the pitch where United will be judged most.

"It's an unforgiving league, the Championship," he continued.

"If you don't get the points you will be relegated, simple as that.

"I don't believe it's the teams in the bottom three who are under most pressure.

"It's the ones just above, looking anxiously over their shoulders, hoping not to be sucked into trouble.

"The only way we can drag them in is by putting a run of results together.

"Until we start to do that, then the teams above us will not be worried."