Town boss Paul Lambert says right-back Kane Vincent-Young is making good progress after his groin operation and he will see how the 23-year-old feels this morning ahead of Saturday’s home game against Blackpool.
"He’s doing OK, he’s doing fine, no pressure from any of us to rush him back,” he said. "But he’s doing well, he’s training, so we’ll see how he feels this morning.”
If he isn’t involved on Saturday, then the former Colchester man could be back for Tuesday’s game against current leaders Wycombe Wanderers.
"From now until May there are too many games, so no pressure from myself or any of the staff or any of the medical people,” Lambert added. "We’ll see how he feels and take it from there.”
Midfielder Brett McGavin limped off at Lincoln on Wednesday but the Blues manager says the problem isn’t serious.
"He’s okay. It was just a knock," Lambert continued. "Again, he’s a young lad that’s been thrown in, but I’ve been happy with Brett, he’s done really really well, but there are a lot of guys in the squad who are just that little bit ahead of him at the minute, but I think he’s done well.”
Asked if there are any other injuries in his squad, he said: "We’ll see how they are this morning. We’ve had a long trip to Lincoln, so we’ll see how the lads are this morning and we’ll judge it from there.”
Regarding the longer-term injured he says Teddy Bishop is making good progress having suffered a knee problem in pre-season.
"He’s doing really well,” he said. "He’s on the grass running, which is good. Again, there’s no pressure from me or anybody with him, and Freddie is the same.
"All the lads are doing well who have had long-term injuries, so one day at a time for those guys I think.”
Sears has been out since suffering a ruptured cruciate knee ligament in February but is back on the training field, although still a little way off first-team involvement.
"As I said before, there’s no pressure from me,” he said. "He’ll come back when he’s ready. He’s doing really well, training on the grass, doing really, really well.
"Not got a problem with Freddie, how he’s training and how he’s going about it. I think it’s great for him to have that freedom again of getting his football boots back on again and getting running and getting out there with the ball.
"I think that’s the biggest thing. At the moment, I think he’s probably still a wee bit off the first team, he’s not really had a tackle against him or anything like that. But he’s doing really well.”
Lambert agreed that the 29-year-old’s return would, as the cliche goes, be like a new signing once he does return.
"Yes, hopefully, Bishop as well, Jack [Lankester] as well. If we get them all back, they’re doing well, the team’s doing well.”
Meanwhile, Lambert has played down the significance of Grant Ward, who was released in the summer, having played a part in an internal match at Playford Road on Tuesday, which led to speculation he might be set to rejoin the Blues.
"We had a duty of care to Wardy because of his injury and he’s done absolutely great, along with Freddie and Jim [Henry, fitness coach], Matty [Byard, physio], Walshy [Tom Walsh, strength and conditioning coach] have done great with the guys,” he added.
"It was important for us to get that lad up to speed with his fitness and get his career hopefully going again.
"Regarding me taking him back on, the important thing is that his knee is going to be stable to play football. The lad, along with Freddie, has done great.”