Goalkeeper David Martin is expected to take part in full training later this week while Antony Kay is in line for a potential December return.
Goalkeeper David Martin is expected to take part in full training later this week while Antony Kay is in line for a potential December return.
Martin, 27, has been out of action since the start of November with a niggling calf injury while Kay has been sidelined for 10 weeks following hip surgery. The Dons have also been without Dean Bowditch all season due to groin surgery and a subsequent hip problem while a foot injury has ruled Luke Chadwick out of recent games.
Head of Sports Medicine Simon Crampton offered a thorough update on the quartet in his ‘From the Bootroom’ programme page and he confirmed that both Martin and Kay could be set for a return in the near future.
He said: “Dave and Antony are now working outdoors and have recently commenced the functional stage of their rehabilitation. Dave will shortly be returning to training while Kaysey will soon be handed over to the fitness team.
“Luke’s been out recently with a foot injury but has started to progress his rehab and is now working hard in the gym; making the most out of our Alter-G Anti-Gravity treadmill. We will continue to progress his rehab over the next couple of weeks and monitor him accordingly before he returns to training.
“Dean is currently working through a very specific rehabilitation programme and we’ve been very pleased with his progress over the last couple of weeks. However, he still has a few more targets to meet before he can commence his field-based rehab.”
While Karl Robinson will still be disappointed to be without the likes of Bowditch and Chadwick until, potentially the New Year, the news that Martin and Kay are nearing a return is a huge boost to the Dons boss, who admits the duo have been big losses to the side.
Robinson said: “We are missing Bowds because he’s 25 plus goals a season in terms of his goals and assists. He’s undergoing a programme at the moment but it would purely be a guess as to how long he’ll be out for and I don’t want to put any pressure on him.
“Antony Kay is progressing really well and we’re looking forward to him returning to training with us; I’d like to think he’d be involved in some capacity for Port Vale. He was involved in the second best defence in the League last year so he’s been a big, big loss to us.
“The back four which played regularly last year has been decimated recently. We brought Lee Hodson in because we felt he was the future of the Club. At the age of 21, I think Lee’s showed you how good he is so I think we’ve strengthened in that area but then I go and lose my centre-back and my goalkeeper.
“Dave’s my number one and he’s been missed too. Ian’s going to be a wonderful goalkeeper but has had a dent to his confidence recently.”