Defender set for comeback

Shrewsbury Town's trio of long-term casualties are making rapid progress down the road to recovery - with one pencilled in for an imminent comeback.Ben Davies, Luke Jones and Andy Cooke have all missed Town's encouraging start to their campaign with serious injuries sustained during the doomed play-off campaign in May and in the Carling Cup clash against Colchester.

But an upbeat update has emerged from the Shrewsbury camp with the trio now all returning to at least partial training.

Davies and Cooke are both running under the guidance of physio Joe Hinnigan - the former is also doing some ball work - while the news is even brighter for Jones.

He has now returned to full training after staging a complete recovery from the knee injury picked up in such devastating fashion at Wembley less than 30 minutes before the play-off final against Bristol Rovers.

There were initial hopes the former Blackburn trainee would play some part in Monday night's friendly at Coventry.

But they now appear to be shelved with a more likely return date coming in the New Meadow second string game with Walsall with nine days time.

Either way, Jones is simply relieved to be back training with his team-mates.

"I can't tell you what a relief it is to be back," said the 20-year-old. "It's just a big buzz to be in full training and there hasn't been a reaction or anything like that which I am delighted about.

"When you first get injured it seems a really long road back but I started jogging after three months and it's gone pretty quick since.

"I am playing catch-up because I have missed pre-season but lots of players have been in the same boat and come back to make a really big impact on a season.

"That's my aim but the first target is to get a few reserve games under my belt and build up my match fitness."

Jones' comeback will provide extra defensive options for manager Gary Peters - who will also be delighted to see Cooke and Davies making serene progress.

Davies remains a vital creative cog in Town's midfield engine room and all the signs are that he is on course to return before Christmas.

And the Shrewsbury boss will be keen for Cooke to return to the striking department where he remains a little light following the controversial departure of Derek Asamoah.

By James Garrison