Injury updates on Rotherham United's seven missing men

The summer signing hasn't played since suffering groin damage in the League One victory over Cambridge United on January 28.

The 34-year-old is behind schedule with his recovery and has failed to hit the initial target set for a return to full training.

"His niggle has not cleared up in the timescale we had thought," manager Steve Evans said this morning. "It should have been this week. The consultant doesn't think it is anything major but Alex is seeing him again."

Centre-half Sean Raggett and loan midfielder Dan Gore are sidelined by knee and foot issues respectively, but four other Rotherham players are on the verge of returns.

Evans hasn't ruled out attacking duo Mallik Wilks (groin) and Jonson Clarke-Harris (calf) making the matchday 18 for tomorrow's match at Reading while midfield man Shaun McWilliams (hamstring) and centre-forward Josh Kayode (thigh) are also near to playing again.

"Shaun is back on the grass, he's been training for most of the week," the boss said. "We'll have a look at him over the weekend."

Kayode has seen his career stall over the last two years, with most of his time being spent on the sidelines, but he is cautiously integrating himself with his teammates at the club's Roundwood base.

"He's close," Evans said. "I think the kid's just concerned that, with his historical injuries, he doesn't go back in too early.

"He's been out on the grass and has trained full on for the last couple of days. He was with the group yesterday and will be today. We just need to make sure we're bringing him back at the right time.

“You have to listen to your medical department and you also have to ask your players.”

Like MacDonald, Raggett, who has played only 11 times since his summer arrival because of recurring knee issues, was today having another date with a specialist.

“The consultant wanted some clear images on Wednesday to know what we're dealing with,” Evans said. “The second meeting is to hear what those images mean for Sean.”