COLIN Healy, the forgotten man at Portman Road, is out to prove himself to the fans, and himself.

COLIN Healy, the forgotten man at Portman Road, is out to prove himself to the fans, and himself.

Healy has hardly had a kick, since former boss Roy Keane signed him from Cork City during the summer of 2009.

Hit by injuries, and struggling for both confidence and form, Healy finally broke the shackles with a superb performance in Wednesday night’s 1-0 victory over Arsenal.

He set up the winner for Tamas Priskin and played a full role in unsettling the Gunners classy midfield.

Now the 30-year-old Irishman is intent on putting all his personal disappointments behind him, spanning the last few years, and establishing himself in Paul Jewell’s new set-up.

“I still feel that I have to prove myself to the fans, as well as myself,” explained Town midfielder Healy yesterday.

“It’s been hard for me. It hasn’t gone as well as it could have.

“I went back to Cork for two years, after my injuries. When people see you go back to Ireland, they think that you’re going back for good, and I thought that was going to happen as well.

“But I got my confidence back, started playing well, and then came back over here. But I found it was big step up.

“I didn’t get to grips with it straight away, and I didn’t play well in a few games. Then I was out of the team for a few months, and when I came back in again, it was hard after so many months out.

“Hopefully I can kick on now, because there’s nothing worse than sitting up in the stands, watching the lads playing.

“It’s a big step up from the Irish League, but hopefully Wednesday’s performance will give me a bit of confidence,” added Healy.

Healy was loaned out to Scottish Premier League strugglers Falkirk during the second half of last season, and has still only started three league games in 18 months for Town.