HUNGER GAMES

After his long exile from football following a ban for breaking betting rules, in-demand Toney is back... and there is no anger, just a focus on scoring goals and proving he is a world-class striker

-  DARREN LEWIS

IVAN TONEY is only looking forward to one thing - his eagerly-awaited return to football next week.

The 27-year-old Brentford star's comeback could not be better timed, with Arsenal once again labouring in front of goal in the FA Cup and both Manchester United and Chelsea hunting strikers.

With his eight-month exile for breaking betting rules at an end, Toney refuses to look back in anger at the process, his punishment or even his ban from training with his Bees team-mates.

Instead, there is only focus and a desire to live up to the hype, starting with his club's Premier League home game against Nottingham Forest on Saturday week. With the Euros this summer his target and Brentford sliding down the table after a nightmare run of seven defeats from their last eight, the stage is set for Toney to once again make his mark.

"I'm hungry. Hungry and excited," he said. "Being out for so long, especially when you don't have an injury is hard.

"I'm hungry to get back on the pitch and do what I enjoy doing."

A hat-trick and an assist in Saturday's Brentford B-team game against Southampton's Under-23's lit up social media as fans were assured of his well-being.

At the time of his exile last May, Toney had scored 21 times in 34 Premier League games, earning an England call-up and the admiration of the biggest clubs in the country.

After a punishing training regime stateside in Nashville during his time away, he is ready to pick up where he left off - even if some critics doubt his ability to do so.