Saturday’s game against Barnsley at The Valley may just come too soon for Sam Field according to Charlton Manager Lee Bowyer.
The midfielder, who has been out since being substituted during the Addicks' game at Bristol City in October, has been back in full training for more than a week but Bowyer is keen not to rush him back.
Speaking in this morning’s press conference he said: “Sam was training last week, he’s had a week’s training, an extra four days training. I’ll have to see how he goes today but it [Saturday], is probably too early. The players that have come back, it’s great that they are coming back but they are all coming back at the same time, so they are all limited on minutes.
“That’s why Jonny [Williams] and Lyle [Taylor] were on the bench [against Fulham] because they couldn’t start. It’s great that they are all coming back but I have to be careful on the minutes.”
Watch Bowyer's full press conference on Valley Pass.
The Addicks sit six points ahead of Barnsley, who appointed Gerhard Struber as manager in November. Bowyer said that Saturday's match will be a big game for his team, he added: “They’re all big games. They are in and around us. The new manager [Struber] has gone in and they’ve done well. They play a diamond. We know the diamond.
“They’ve changed things, I’ve watched them in a few of their games and they are dangerous. I think they are in better shape than when we played them at their place, they’ve got some good players.”