BURTON Albion have last season’s top scorer Kane Hemmings back in training ahead of next Monday night’s live televised game away at Bolton Wanderers.
Hemmings, who notched 15 goals for the Brewers last season, has missed the first few weeks of the 2021/22 Sky Bet League One season after suffering a hamstring injury in our pre-season friendly at home to Newcastle United.
But the 29-year-old is now back in contention to make the squad for Monday’s trip to the University of Bolton Stadium.
And Albion will also be able to welcome back midfielder Terry Taylor and defender Michael Bostwick, who have both finished their periods of self-isolation after testing positive for COVID-19.
Albion’s deadline day business means Harry Chapman and Charlie Lakin could come into contention, although loan striker Daniel Jebbison remains on international duty with England U18s into early next week.
The Brewers will be without Michael Mancienne, who suffered his own hamstring injury in our 1-1 draw with Cheltenham Town, while Jacob Maddox (ankle) and Deji Oshilaja (ankle) are continuing their recoveries but are not yet ready to return.
“Daniel Jebbison is still away with England, and he will be arriving with us around Wednesday or Thursday,” said manager Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink.
“We have Michael Bostwick back from self-isolation, he comes back into the squad that we can choose from, and Terry Taylor is back.
“Kane is back. He’s been training over the last two or three days.
“Deji is not back yet - he and Jacob Maddox have been running on the anti-gravity machine, and if they have no reaction today or tomorrow, they will hit the grass in training on Sunday, with the physio but not with the group. They will build up from there if all is well.
“Michael Mancienne has a grade two injury, he will be out for 4-5 weeks.”
Sam Hughes, who has rejoined the club from Leicester City, is also sidelined with the knee injury that cut short his impressive loan spell with the Brewers last year, and Hasselbaink says the young centre-back will not be rushed.
“He’s still injured and we are not pushing him,” said Hasselbaink.
“We want him to come back healthy and strong. There will be a few more weeks - I don’t think we will see him in September, and we are looking more or less at middle of October.
“I think we need to give him that time because he had a horrific injury - but he fits in what we want to do.”