Guy Demel has set his sights on making a first-team comeback after returning to action in Tuesday's 1-1 Development Squad draw with Gillingham.

The Ivory Coast right-back looked strong and fit on his return from six weeks out with a thigh injury suffered in the npower Championship defeat at Reading on 10 December.

Having successfully come through a 45-minute run out at the Boleyn Ground, the 30-year-old is targeting a place in Sam Allardyce's starting XI before too long.

"Of course it's a pleasure to be back and to play with the boys in a friendly game and to be on the pitch," he told West Ham TV. I'm a football player and my place is on the field, so of course I am happy to enjoy football again and I hope it will be for quite long now.

"It was good. My team-mates helped me, but I got a good feeling and a good sensation. We have our next game on Saturday, a friendly game, and I hope I will play longer then. We will move forward step-by-step and keep going and hopefully start playing for the first team.

"It's hard for me but it's even worse for the manager who just brought me here and needs every player and I couldn't play my part. I know the situation for me and the rest of the team and the manager and that's why I hope I will be back soon."

An added incentive to get fully fit for Demel is the opportunity to play his part in winning promotion in his first season with the Hammers. While the No20 has made just two appearances so far, he still believes he can get involved in the club's quest to win the npower Championship title.

"I think this season could be something amazing and something historic - to be promoted at the end of the season. I want to be a part of that. The boys are really nice to me, but if you don't play you don't feel it. I have to help my team-mates and be next to them. My place is on the field.

"I don't want to rush. I think I need these friendly games for my condition and also for my body. When you get injured often in the same season you start to think about it. These games are really important for me. I hope I will start playing with the team in two weeks' time."

Demel's thigh injury ruled him out of the CAF Africa Cup of Nations, which is currently being contested by the continent's 16 best teams in Equatorial Guinea and Gabon.

Ivory Coast made a winning start by defeating Sudan 1-0 on Sunday and the right-back is backing his fellow countrymen to win the trophy for the second time in their history.

"I watched the match of course and I'm really happy for them. I'm speaking to them every day but I think, right now, my place is here in West Ham.

"I hope that we're going to win that competition and, if I'm doing well here, I will be back in the national team so I'm not worried about that."