Town boss Mick McCarthy has revealed that David McGoldrick and Teddy Bishop are closing in on a return to action after their lengthy absences with hamstring injuries.

Bishop, 19, has been out of the first-team picture since pre-season initially due to shin splints - which also hampered him at the end of last season - and then a persistent hamstring injury.

The Cambridge-born youngster played for the U21s at Birmingham in mid-September, then in the home game against Crystal Palace at the end of October but hasn’t been involved since.

McGoldrick missed most of the second half of last season with a troublesome thigh problem, having been out of action for the final months of the previous campaign after suffering a serious knee injury.

The Irish international has had a stop-start 2015/16 due to a number of injuries, which have restricted him to eight starts and 11 sub appearances, scoring three goals.

After returning to action following a groin problem in mid-December, the 28-year-old, who signed a new contract tying him to Town until 2018 earlier in the campaign, tore a hamstring in training.

But McCarthy says he’s now well on the road to recovery: “Fingers crossed. It’s not going to be this week, but Didz is making a very good recovery with the treatment he’s having. He’s back in the building now and is quite optimistic.

“I think he’s got a real carrot at the end of this season with the European Championships.

“Don’t anybody get me wrong and say, ‘He should be playing for us!’. That’s a carrot. He’s got to play for us to get in the European Championship team.

“He wants to be back here, he wants to play. It’ll be a great summer for him if he could go to France with Ireland.

I'm getting there 😆⚽️😛– Ted bishop (@ted10bishop) February 1, 2016

“It might be the end of March, but we’ve got seven games in April and, who knows, it could be just the right time.”

Regarding Bishop, who tweeted a message which suggested he is also making good progress earlier in the week, McCarthy added: “Bish, he might be before that, I hope. He’s just had such a tough time and I feel for the both of them.”

Photo: Action Images

Michael11 added 10:24 - Feb 4 Some much needed positive news. I've had a huge moan about not signing anyone in January but if these 2 can get fully fit then they'll feel like new signings.
2

TimmyH added 10:24 - Feb 4 Probabaly explains to a degree why MM hasn't dabbled in the January transfer window - but have to say with McG is likely to break down again with a further injury between now and May knowing his history so I'm not holding my breath. As mentioned having them both back and free of injury will certainly be a boost for a play-off place.
4

TimmyH added 10:28 - Feb 4 @Debenblue - regarding a PR exercise, yes I know what you mean - only time will tell, if they're still not back come early March then you might very well be right.
3

karls_dad added 10:50 - Feb 4 Devils advocate yet again! how long to get to match fitness? yes we have missed them especially young Bish, i have never been a McGoldrick fan, probably unfairly, its his laid back, lazy portrayal i find hard to accept, ability of that there is no doubt, but with the former i wish he would actually look to be trying a tad harder!
2

Lightningboy added 11:03 - Feb 4 Would be amazing if these two came back for the final push (fully fit).
1

Townie29 added 11:36 - Feb 4 Bishop is the creative midfielder we are crying out for. Hopefully he has been working with TC and can add a few more goals to his game as well!
3

Surco72 added 11:39 - Feb 4 Perfectly timed press release from the club . Dids might be back for end of March that is 9 league games away and how many more before he is match fit ? And how many times have we heard Bish is nearing squad contention with no real date ? Would undoubtedly make the match day squad more quality , but until they actually play I wont hold my breath and will see if we dip into the loan market for final push as MM mentioned

10

topguy added 12:09 - Feb 4 People are all talking about them starting that isn't the issue, its the depth we all saw the prob we had when we lost fraser, we have such a small squad lose 1 big player we have very few replacements bish wont start but both players give us an extra dimention when it comes to rotation and substituting, at such an important stage of the season.
1

MathieandMarshall added 12:23 - Feb 4 Possibly a little bit of spin here on the back of a disappointing transfer window and the resultant flat atmosphere on Tuesday night. Would be as good as two new signings if they could hit the ground running but in reality it will take them a bit of time. I can see a 93 day loan player coming in shortly from one of the Premier League clubs and then Bish and Didz being fit enough for the Play offs when said Loanee returns to his club.

4

Seasider added 13:00 - Feb 4 I agree with last poster,MathieandMarshall. Think that the Manager would be overly optimistic to just rely on these two returning,as we have had false dawns before. I hope then that he will address any shortcomings,if he thinks there are any,by utilising the disappearing Loan window for one last time,;as only have one creative midfielder at present in Kevin Bru who himself tends to be a bit injury prone.It certainly didn't work on Tuesday with Skuse and Hyam together.

2

terryf added 13:00 - Feb 4 Teddy's on a Gap Year. Well he is only 19.....spot on Fat Cat!! Seriously though it's such a shame we haven't had both in our ranks all season. Would have made all the difference to our style of play. MM is full of spin though or is it bull.....we really need these guys back at full tilt not just playing a bit part.
2

brian_a_mul added 14:07 - Feb 4 This is the creativity we are all crying out for! Cant wait to see them back in the team :) Best of luck with recovery ads!
0

BlueArmy01 added 16:38 - Feb 4 DebenBlue took the words out of my mouth, we didn't invest in January but we have our two most creative players coming back to fitness......... but I hope to be proved wrong.
0

jas0999 added 17:56 - Feb 4 With these two out our squad lacks quality. As Evans didn't free up the necessary budget for quality January additions, we need Bishop and McGoldrick back as soon as possible. Skuse/Hyam in a 4-4-2 first half Tuesday was as bad as I remembered from last season. No creative threat at all.
1

afrodids added 18:34 - Feb 4 PR bullsh*t to get people of his back for not bringing anyone else in !! As much as I'd love to see them both back it seems unlikely!!
0

tractorboyz82 added 21:12 - Feb 4 Find it strange that bishop was out for so long the same time he lost his driving licence after only two weeks of having it caught out drinking the night before a game and having trouble with his landlord because of party's.
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