NOTHING is going to slow down Filipe Morais – whether it’s fatherhood or injury.

The City winger became a dad again last month when wife Ash gave birth to daughter Sienna.

Hospital duties meant he missed part two of their play-off semi-final with Millwall – which ultimately turned out to be the final game of the campaign.

But the fact that he had been around for the exciting run-in to the season was a major boost for a player many had written off last July when he crumpled to the turf at the training ground.

That ruptured anterior cruciate ligament could have killed off his campaign before it had even begun.

Instead the 30-year-old was back for the final six weeks with the air of someone half his age.

“For me, the end of the season was like the start,” said Morais.

“That’s why I was so happy to make the most of every single minute.

“You’re like a kid coming back when you have been out for so long.

“I’ve always had high energy to buzz around anyway. Even when I’m 40, I’ll come on the pitch and run around like I’m a lot younger.

“I’m sure it gave everyone else a bit of a lift when I came back as well. I just wish there had been a lot longer left of the season to kick on.”

Valley Parade has been a cauldron of noise at times as fans lapped up City’s best home season since the Paul Jewell era.

But two of the biggest roars were reserved for Morais – when he first stepped back on the pitch as a late sub against Scunthorpe and then when he scored in the 4-0 thrashing of Walsall.

Morais admitted he was desperate to reward the supporters for their backing and to justify all the painstaking recovery work under the close scrutiny of Matt Barrass and the club medical team.

He added: “I couldn’t afford to think I’ve done enough just to be out on the pitch.

“If I did, I wouldn’t be in the position where I’ve been starting and close to starting games.

“Once you’re back, you need to kick on. That’s the tough bit that people maybe don’t see.

“They see you out on the pitch and think you’re completely fine again. But every day you are still working on your injury.

“That’s what you’ve got to deal with as a player. But I’m really confident in (my knee) and the good thing is that it feels great.”

The Portuguese started three times with a further five appearances off the bench. It was a cameo contribution but Morais knew it would take a while to rediscover his old ways.

Youngsters Joe Brennan and Jack Waters were constant companions through rehab after being struck down by similar injuries within the same week. But they were not back as quickly.

Morais said: “You can see with the other two lads who had the cruciates, how tough it is to come back.

“I probably started to mature after 27 in football. Thankfully I got this injury at the age I’m at now because I did everything by the book.

“I did everything right and made sure I lived right.

“I’ve seen with the younger lads that I’ve been with, they are a little bit more enthusiastic.

“When you’re doing your rehab, they might try something a bit more.

“With me, I just went by the book with everything. I followed the physio’s guidelines all the way and thankfully it got me back to this position.

“The maturity helps at that stage. But it only gets you to a certain point.

“Then you need a bit of ‘youthfulness’ in you to drive you to get to the point where you want to be.”

Returning from such a lengthy lay-off requires a lot more than flicking a switch.

The Morais who emerged to the roar of the Kop for the final ten minutes of the Scunthorpe game could not be expected to pick up straight away where he had left off the previous year.

“It’s not like that at all,” he said. “Every day you have to work really hard to be in with a chance of playing games.

“You are working hard to hopefully improve every day. When I got to start again, I was proud of that achievement.

“But it’s not enough just getting to that point. Once you’re there, you need the mentality to want to win.

“You need to show your team-mates that you deserve to be there and that you’re ready.”