Blackburn Rovers midfielder Steven Reid has revealed he thought about throwing in the towel as he was battling with his long-term knee injury. The Republic of Ireland international returned for his first Premier League game after 16 months on the sidelines in Blackburn's crucial 2-0 victory over Fulham on Sunday, marking a welcome return to the game. But the 28-year-old admits that he came close to giving up on the game, as his return from a cruciate knee ligament injury was complicated by hamstring, ankle and Achilles problems. Reid told The Sun: "It has been a tough time and I'd be lying if I said at times during that spell I didn't think of jacking it in." Blackburn boss Sam Allardyce believes Reid can push on and get better and better - providing he can manage to stay free of injury.