United’s treatment room is looking in good shape as both Danny Devine and Keelan Leslie step things up with their returns to full training.
“Danny has trained really well,” boss Chris Beech confirmed this morning. “I’m very pleased about that, because in an adaptable squad that we have, he can play various positions, which you’ve seen.
“He’s been a wing-back, full-back, centre mid, centre mid attacking, centre mid sitting, a little bit at Cheltenham he played in the back three. He’s got those adaptable skills, he’s a robust person who’s generally very fit, and of course he knows he’s got to make his mark on our team this season.
“He’ll be full of energy and it’ll be interesting to see if he’s involved or not this weekend.”
And on Keelan Leslie, who came through the youth system to earn his deal last term, he added: “It’s a short-term contract, which David [Holdsworth] was supportive of.
“He did very well as a youth team player and got his reward, but unfortunately for him he missed a whole part of pre-season which is a big chunk of training. But he is fit now.
“He’s played a youth game [Walsall], he can’t play in the cup competitions, but you’re allowed to play three under-19 players in the Youth Alliance this season, which is something you can utilise.
“It’ll be good for him because he missed out on all those friendlies we had, and on the double-days of training real hard. He’s got to catch up as fast as he can.
“He could possibly be used in the Papa John’s. At the same part, looking at the Carabao Cup results, I made what you’d consider quite a lot of changes, there were only four starters from the Colchester fixture in the team at Sheffield United, it’s something I’ll be looking at again in that domain.
“It’s too early to say who that is because we’ve got a really important league fixture to get through and get organised for against Hartlepool.”