Bolton Wanderers defenders Harry Brockbank and Liam Edwards are both back on the training pitch as they continue their recoveries from their respective injuries.
Brockbank, 22, last played for Wanderers in the 1-1 draw against Mansfield Town at the start of November and came off after half an hour with a hamstring injury.
The academy product is on track for a return to action before Christmas and is now back on the grass training.
The same is also true of fellow defender Edwards, who is yet to feature this season after picking up a knee injury last season.
Midfielder Andrew Tutte is poised to be out for three to four weeks with a thigh injury suffered in last weekend's win over Southend United, while attacking midfielder Ali Crawford has missed some training time this week due to a sore groin ahead of this weekend's visit of Port Vale.
Speaking about Brockbank, Wanderers head coach Ian Evatt said: "He’s back on the grass. He’s doing well. Brocky’s an excellent young professional, a great attitude, great attitude to football and I’m pleased to see him back.
"Liam Edwards similarly, he’s back on the grass again and progressing well, however he’s been long term so he’s going to take a while to get up to speed and then we’ve got Tuttey who’s got a niggle for three or four weeks.
"Ali Crawford’s missed a couple of days training this week with a bit of a sore groin.
"There’s one or two others with slight issues but we’re managing them accordingly and it’s important at this time of year in particular that the players make sacrifices."
Discussing Tutte's injury, Evatt believes the potential of being out for three to four weeks is the best Wanderers could have hoped for in terms of a layoff.
He said: “You kind of know instantly when a player has to come off after 10 or 11 minutes, you know it’s quite serious.
"It’s probably the best we could have hoped for in terms of timescale, a low grade two tear of the rec fem, which is your thigh muscle, in layman’s terms.
"It’s the nature of the beast and part of the process.
"I keep repeating stuff about the pandemic and the condensed fixture list. It’s just part of it."
