WORCESTER'S Simon Archer has recovered from a knee injury which threatened to end his career and believes he can turn this year's Commonwealth Games into the pinnacle of his sporting career.

Archer became the first Briton ever to win an Olympic badminton medal when he gained bronze in Sydney with his partner Jo Goode.

But he suffered an injury which laid him low throughout 2001 and allowed him to only resume full training two months ago.

Archer said: "I'm trying to target three golds and it would be a fantastic feeling to do that on my own patch. I was out injured for so long and it has taken me 12 months just to start playing well again.

"For me to come back and do well here after an injury which threatened to end my career would mean everything to me."

England have been paired with traditional powerhouse Malaysia in the first group stage. It means that one of the two most fancied countries will not win a medal.

Archer called the decision to seed Malaysia only fifth "disgraceful" and added: "How they've got Malaysia seeded five is beyond me.

"You're looking at England as the top team with the others -- Malaysia, India and Singapore -- all ranked five to eight.

"How they can be seeded five when they won men's gold last time and silver in the ladies is quite a bizarre situation really. I'd like someone to explain it.

"We have to beat them anyway if we are going to get the gold but it's more exciting to be playing a team as strong as Malaysia in the final rather than playing them for a medal.

"That is not just for us as players but for the spectacle as a whole for the public. You want the final to be the strongest match.

"Clearly on paper, regardless of the seedings, England and Malaysia are the strongest two teams here and that's not going to be the final -- and that's bad for badminton."