FIT-AGAIN Newcastle United defender Tamas Kadar believes he is ready to challenge for a first-team place after putting an injury-plagued year behind him.

Kadar spent the majority of last season recovering from injury and after suffering another set-back in pre-season, the defender has had to fight his way back to fitness.

Since he arrived at the club in August 2009, the Hungarian defender has been regarded as a top prospect, but a nightmare year has seen the 21-year-old fall out of the picture at St James' Park.

But now, the young defender appears to have put his injury problems behind him after starting five of the last six reserve games, including captaining Willie Donachie's side to a 3-2 win over Liverpool on Tuesday night.

With Magpies boss Alan Pardew light on central defensive options - Kadar reveals he is now focused on forcing his way into the first-team reckoning.

He said: "I was happy to be the captain but the main thing is, I'm happy to play.

"I feel like I'm doing a great programme. This was the fifth or sixth game I've played in the last few weeks, so I'm happy with the results and I'm happy because I'm playing.

"I'd been out for a long time - since January - until I did the pre-season, and then I got an injury again. But now I feel like I'm 100 per cent and I'll try to push back into the first-team.

"I know it's going to take a long time and it's going to be hard to get into the backline but I think I'm in a good way and if I can play every week - week in, week out - that's the best I can do.

"I'm playing for the Reserves as a centre-back and that's my best position, and as long as I'm fit, I'm happy.

"I'm working very hard on the training ground, whether I'm training with the first-team or whether I'm with the Reserves."