Brady sets potential return date for McWilliams and McGowan

Aaron McGowan and Shaun McWilliams could both be given some minutes – ‘all being well’ – in next week’s EFL Trophy tie against Arsenal U21s.

Right-back McGowan has not played a single minute so far this season after undergoing a knee operation in the summer. He started training with the group again last month but his return to competitive action is being carefully managed given the amount of time he has been out.

McWilliams injured his groin during last month’s 2-0 win at AFC Wimbledon but he too is on the way back.

"They have trained and it's just about building them up at the moment and trying to give them some sort of match fitness in terms of in-house training and games that have been doing,” said manager Jon Brady.

"Quite possibly, all being well, the Arsenal game will be an opportunity to give them some minutes. They are at the stage now where they have built up enough fitness to potentially play, as long as everything goes OK over the next week.”

However, it’s too early to say if Town’s illness concerns have cleared up ahead of Saturday’s game at Leyton orient. Louis Appéré was the latest player to catch the bug, following Sam Hoskins, Josh Eppiah, Lee Burge and Max Dyche.

"I wouldn't want say at this point because we are still waiting on a lot of things,” Brady added. “I can't give too much more away than that.”