James Norwood and Kane Vincent-Young are back in the squad for Tuesday’s trip to AFC Wimbledon, manager Paul Cook revealed at this morning’s press conference.
Norwood has been out since the Bristol Rovers game with a thigh problem and Vincent-Young having made his first start in 17 months at Wigan the previous week.
Their return to the fold is further good new for Cook with key midfielder Flynn Downes having come into the team on Saturday, also following a hamstring problem, while Tristan Nydam came off the bench to make his first appearance in precisely two years after breaking his fibula and rupturing ankle ligaments in pre-season ahead of 2019/20.
"We’ve got 24 training this morning, including the two guys you’ve just mentioned,” Cook said when asked about Norwood and Vincent-Young.
"On Flynn, I think Flynn’s a massive tick for the football club. For anyone who watches football, young players today, I think Flynn Downes has got a very, very bright future in the game.
"He’s a really good young man, conducts himself very, very well, he’s got a desire to be better and to win games and be successful. As a manager, it was great to see complete the 90 minutes on Saturday.
"Turning to the other guys you mentioned, I’m not going to debate players for long spells, I know that’s what you’d like but they’re back in the squad.
"We’re going to Wimbledon tomorrow night hoping that we can keep our season going and we can give our supporters belief that we can do it.”
Pressed further on the boost Norwood and Vincent-Young will give to his squad in the final seven matches of the season, Cook added: "You know yourself, I want to be very careful this morning, especially what I say about the players because I know fans today and everyone else, people want managers to come and be brash and say things that people want to hear.
"For me as a club, and the club’s obviously changed ownership, the performances that I watch are way off performances that I like as a manager.
"I don’t want to debate too much with you about good, bad and sidewards. We are in my opinion, a team that’s got a lot of work to do, shall we say.”
Cook is clearly a fan of Nydam, who caught the eye after such a lengthy spell out during the final half our on Saturday.
"Tristan, I’ve watched the last two U23 games and one of the criticisms of the team as a team is that, again I’m going to speak carefully, we don’t have enough contact, we’re nice,” he reflected.
"[We need to] have players in the team who have contact and win the ball back and break up play, then you’re supposed to supply flair players with the ball to go and create chances and score.
"As you can see with us at the minute, we’re just very much a work in progress. Tristan’s got great qualities, as a lad he’s got a heart as big as a lion, he’s got a great desire to win games, to compete, and that’s something in a lot of games we lack.”