PACE-ace Jordan Cook says he moved to the Midlands to prove that his crippling injury has not affected his potential.

The on-loan Sunderland striker signed for Walsall until the end of the season after battling back from a cruciate injury sustained in September 2009.

The 21-year-old was making a push for the Black Cats first team when he sustained the injury in a reserve game which kept him out for almost a year.

Cook fought back and has made two appearances for Steve Bruce’s side this season against Manchester United and Chelsea but he has moved to the Banks’s Stadium to gain valuable first-team experience in preparation for next season.

“I’m aiming to get league matches under my belt and I want to show what I’m made of,” said the young English forward.

“I suffered a cruciate injury so I was out for the majority of last season and it was a season where I was looking to push on.

“It’s my first season back since the cruciate so I’m just looking to get back into the swing of things.

“I want to show what I can do for 90 minutes on a regular basis.

“I can’t show what I’m made of playing ten minutes or so at the end of a game which is why I’m here trying to show people what I’m made of.”

Cook has an impressive goalscoring record at youth and reserve level but has yet to score a single senior league goal.

In 2009 he made four appearances for Darlington during a month-long loan spell and came off the bench in Walsall’s recent 1-1 away draw with MK Dons.

He is, however, hoping to feature in the coming weeks.

“I’m ready to play now and I can play anywhere in the midfield or up front but to me my best position is playing up front off a big man,” he added.

“I’m good at running on to flick ons because I can use my pace.

“I’ve got my pace back now after the injury because all I did was light weights and explosive power moves.

“I was quick before my injury so I just needed to get it back and become sharper. It was eight months of hard work but I knew I was going to be out for a while with the injury.”