Callum Roberts has handed Notts County a massive boost after it emerged the winger could be set to return to the squad to face Oxford City in the FA Trophy quarter-final.
Ahead of the National League clash against Chesterfield this weekend, boss Neal Ardley confirmed the former Newcastle winger is back in training after being sidelined with a hip and groin problem since November.
Roberts underwent surgery to correct the problem, but has just returned to the grass after recently receiving an injection to help ease inflammation.
That now seems to have significantly aided his rehabilitation and Ardley says providing there are no further setbacks, he could make his long-awaited return as the Magpies a day out at Wembley.
"Callum has trained today (Friday) with the group and he's trained most of the week," said Ardley.
"He's doing his hard yards. If he gets through a full week of training next week, then we'll see where he is and see where his fitness levels are.
"But this has only been his first few days training so we don't want to get ahead of ourselves only to find he is stiff as a board and sore next week.
"I've said to him, 'you do the hard yards, you get your fitness levels in a good place, and you can carry on training with the squad, then I'll consider next week whether you're available to be on the bench or in and around the squad'.
"That's my dangled carrot for him. But obviously I don't want him to push so hard, him then end up feeling certain areas and not being the player he can be.
"He's got to be right and he's got to get the hard yards in because without them he'll get injured."
