Jamie Brooks, who has won BBC South's Young Sportsman of the Year award, says he is ahead of schedule in his rehabilitation from the life-threatening Guillain-Barre Syndrome, but urges fans not to expect a comeback too soon.

Jamie Brooks takes a break from working out at Oxford's Esporta ClubThe 19-year-old Oxford United striker, a picture of health compared with how he was even two months ago, is stepping up his fitness work, and is delighted with the progress he is making.

But he is not expecting to play competitively this season.

"Things are going from strength to strength, I've surprised myself with how well they've gone" he said.

"I'm at the club three times a week, I go to the hospital (for physiotherapy) on a Wednesday and I'm swimming on a Thursday, so I've got a busy schedule and everyone's working hard to get me fit.

"In fact, it's going too well to be true, and I'm waiting for a setback, to be honest.

"I've improved immensely over the last three months, from coming out of hospital. I'm ahead of schedule, but that doesn't mean I'm going to push it any more. I've still got a lot of time and I've still got a long way to go, a lot of strength to build up."

"It was a year between when Liverpool's Markus Babbel fell ill, and he played again. So if it's a year, that would be April for me to start playing again."