Welcome boost for Preece

As we revealed on Friday, defender Michael Nelson announced he had recovered from a horror injury - when he suffered a collapsed lung and broken ribs - two months ahead of schedule.

Preece was delighted by the news.

But today it got even better when Bhutia said he too could be fit for the Cambridge match next Saturday.

The striker is recovering from a knee operation he underwent five weeks ago when a piece of cartilage was removed. But he is confident that he will return soon to boost Preece's struggling side.

"I haven't set myself a comeback date as such, but I think I will be back playing for the team soon, hopefully for next week," explained Bhutia.

"Since my return from India I have been undergoing physiotherapy on a daily basis and that is helping my recovery. I'm desperate to get back and help the team."

Anything that can improve the current side would be welcome but Bhutia, like his manager, believes there is no need to panic.

The striker reckons the Shakers are a much better team than their current league position suggests.

"Results haven't been as we had hoped," he admitted, "but that's not to say it's all doom and gloom around the club. Our new loan signing Harpal Singh has done well and hopefully I will get the chance to play with him.

"I think we could work very well together. Harpal is the type of player who will put good balls into the box for the strikers to feed off. He is a very creative player, but we're missing goals at the moment.

"I'm not worried by our failure to put that ball in the back of the net. I only see it as a slight problem that will soon be resolved.

"I believe we've got the players to score goals and the slight change in formation that the manager has brought about will help us to do that. What we have to do now is to keep calm.

"We have to be more patient because I am convinced that we're a better team than our current league position suggests."