Holden, Wheater, Davies & Vela

[ChrisC]

Could all be playing against Sunderland in the replay next week!

Look who's back - Wheater return set to make it a fab four

10:50am Tuesday 8th January 2013 in Latest By Marc Iles

WANDERERS have been handed a massive boost with David Wheater and Mark Davies set to join Stuart Holden and Josh Vela on the comeback trail tonight.

Holden and Vela were already pencilled in to play for the development squad against Oldham Athletic at Leyland.

But Wheater’s and Davies’s inclusion is an added bonus for boss Dougie Freedman who is hopeful the quartet will all be back in first-team contention before the end of the month.

The Whites boss even believes that if all goes well, the quartet could all be back in the mix by the time the Whites head to the Stadium of Light in a week’s time for their FA Cup third-round replay.


Speaking after the 2-2 weekend draw against the Black Cats at the Reebok Stadium, the Wanderers boss revealed the news that will undoubtedly bring a smile to the fans’ faces.

“I have got Josh Vela, David Wheater, Stuart Holden and Mark Davies, four players that could be part of the starting 11, four players that are big players for this club, that are two weeks away,” he said. “In all honesty, that extra game is good for us.

“They might play (against Sunderland). They are players that are training every day.

“They are going to play in a game on Tuesday. Possibly Mark will miss the replay but it is an extra game down the line for them.”

Holden has played just one competitive game since March 2011 when he was stretchered off against Manchester United at Old Trafford with a serious knee injury that has required two bouts of surgery.

Vela has been missing for four months after sustaining knee ligament damage playing against Crawley Town in the Capital One Cup in August.

Wheater suffered a cruciate ligament injury at the tail end of last season and had not been expected back in the reckoning until next month.

And Davies underwent surgery on a damaged collar bone in mid-December when he fell awkwardly in a game against Huddersfield Town and post-match scans revealed a problem.

Freedman is looking forward to welcoming the players back into his squad.

“They are four big players,” he said. “We have missed them really. We have a small squad, only 18 players, so the extra game – no disrespect to the FA Cup – is needed now.”

The return of Holden, Vela, Davies and Wheater leaves Matt Mills, Benik Afobe and Joe Riley as the only players in the treatment room.

Mills is still a few weeks away from returning from a hamstring injury, while Afobe missed the cup tie with a tight hamstring.

Riley was forced off after just 36 minutes at the weekend after a kick on the foot.

Tonight's Senior Cup game against Oldham kicks-off at 7pm.

[m_taylor]

Great News!! Might just get our season back on track!

[ohjimmyjimmy]

Like 4 new signings etc etc

[thebish]

blimey - you wait for a saviour - and four come along at once...

[Lost Leopard Spot]

blimey - you wait for a saviour - and four come along at once...

That's the messiah you wait for. Or buses.

[bobo the clown]

Vela (who I quite rate, tbh) has played how many games for us ? Do I need both hands to count them ?

Thank God he's back !!

[boltonboris]

I think he's made three appearances.

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

Vela looked tidy enough at Crawley, in his admittedly very brief appearance.

Holden's energy and expertise have been sadly missed; fingers will be crossed.

Wheater has his limitations but is certainly whole-hearted and might notch a goal or two at set-pieces.

MDavies is potentially the key to Freedman's system working.

It's all good news, albeit with weight of expectation.

[Salford Trotter]

Just had a text that Eaves will be involved tonight too so good to see if he has improved since his time away in the West Country.

[ChrisC]

Lets just hope the opposition players stay on there feet when they go in for tackles. Knowing our luck, 2 or 3 will come out of the game with problems again

[IggyTheDawgster]

Holds up a shoe-"It's a sign!"

[wanderers_on_tour]

Having only seen him in his fleeting first team performances, what sort of a player is Vela??

I understand he's a central midfielder like but he is more of a dynamo (in the Holden mould) or more suited to being a trickster just behind the centre forward (ala Mark Davies)??

Or is he our very own Joe Allen??

[wanderers_on_tour]

Vela (who I quite rate, tbh) has played how many games for us ? Do I need both hands to count them ?

Thank God he's back !!

I imagine he'll see as much time as Butterfield did, but for now he's the #saviour

[thebish]

i think people are mixing him up with the real saviour - Carlos Vela - who will surely come soon???

[Tals-biggest-fan]

Vela and Holden are both in the development squad game for tonight.

[boltonboris]

^ both starting. But no Davies (any of 'em, or Wheater)

[malcd1]

Having only seen him in his fleeting first team performances, what sort of a player is Vela??

I understand he's a central midfielder like but he is more of a dynamo (in the Holden mould) or more suited to being a trickster just behind the centre forward (ala Mark Davies)??

Or is he our very own Joe Allen??

From the little I have seen of Josh he is a good passer of the ball but he likes a full blooded tackle. Probably the type of player we are crying out for at the moment but whether he is ready is another thing.

He has only just turned 19 so he is still a boy. I just hope he can continue to improve because he looks a decent player for his age.

[TKIZ!]

Having only seen him in his fleeting first team performances, what sort of a player is Vela??

I understand he's a central midfielder like but he is more of a dynamo (in the Holden mould) or more suited to being a trickster just behind the centre forward (ala Mark Davies)??

Or is he our very own Joe Allen??

From the little I have seen of Josh he is a good passer of the ball but he likes a full blooded tackle. Probably the type of player we are crying out for at the moment but whether he is ready is another thing.

He has only just turned 19 so he is still a boy. I just hope he can continue to improve because he looks a decent player for his age.

Nolan was 18 when he was introduced to the full squad. Sometimes you just have to take a chance

[TANGODANCER]

Any comment on the game anywhere?

[TKIZ!]

Nope, only thing we have at the moment is Twitter. They only have teams up at the moment