Not long now for Rotherham United missing man Sam Nombe!
HITMAN Sam Nombe is ready to hand Rotherham United a pre-Christmas boost by returning to action before the festive schedule kicks off in earnest.
The striker, who has been a prolific scorer under manager Matt Hamshaw, has missed the last five matches because of a quad injury sustained during shooting practice at the club's Roundwood base.
He is back training outside and, although tomorrow's League One clash with Blackpool at AESSEAL New York Stadium is likely to come too soon for him, there is an outside chance he will be in the travelling party for Saturday's clash at Plymouth Argyle.
Right now, a more realistic return date is the New York date with Huddersfield Town on December 20, which is followed by games against Bolton Wanderers (Boxing Day, away), Blackpool (December 29, away) and Peterborough United (January 1, home).
“I wish he was fit for Wednesday,” Hamshaw said yesterday. “He's not that far off. We're getting there, so let's just wait and see.”
When asked if the 27-year-old might make the Plymouth fixture, the boss said: “I don't know, if I'm being honest. He's been on the grass so we're hopeful that we can integrate him into a lot more things at the back end of this week.
“I'm not going to take a risk. If it means he misses one more game, then that is what it is.”
The Millers are hoping the attacker will quickly rediscover his goal touch – just as he did after spending two months on the sidelines with a hamstring tear in the opening stages of the campaign.
He scored twice in the first four of his six outings following his comeback before damaging his quad last month and heading for the treatment room again.
Meanwhile, Rotherham, who are unbeaten in their last nine third-tier fixtures, will seek to edge nearer to the play-off frame when they do battle with drop-zone Blackpool.
The Seasiders have New York old boy Michael Ihiekwe in their defensive ranks and have been under new leadership since Ian Evatt replaced the sacked Steve Bruce in the hot-seat in October.
“We're looking forward to Wednesday against a really good Blackpool team who've got some top players,” Hamshaw said. “I'm not kidded on by their league position.
“If you'd asked me at the beginning of the season who was going to be up and around there, Blackpool would definitely have been one of the teams I'd have said.
“It'll be a tough game. A good manager (head coach) has just taken over there. There'll be a change of mindset for them, I'm sure.”