Dean McDonald will start for the Blues against Atlético Madrid on Friday. Town are short of strikers with Nicky Forster and Dean Bowditch on the sidelines after picking up thigh and foot injuries respectively during the pre-season tour of Hungary.

Boss Joe Royle says that he will not be taking any chances during pre-season: "If we were preparing for the last game of the season and we needed three points it might be different.

"We might strap them up and get them out there, but there's no need to take changes at this point in time."

Bowditch and Forster are both likely to be back in action when Town travel to Colchester United next Tuesday.

Striker or wide midfielder McDonald signed a new one-year deal recently having impressed on a short-term contract last season and will be making his first start for the senior side.

Midfielder Owen Garvan is another doubt with a foot problem, while Fabian Wilnis, Jimmy Juan and Kevin Horlock are all back in training.

The Blues will also include Spanish trialist Sito in the Atlético game. The former Racing Club de Ferrol started his spell with the club yesterday.

Town are also expecting the arrival of another trialist, a French centre-half.

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