By Mark Heys
May 9 2007

Bolton Wanderers manager Sammy Lee has revealed that three of his key players are near to making a first team return with defensive trio Abdoulaye Faye, Tal Ben-Haim and long term injury victim Joey O'Brien all making progress after spells out of action.

Faye and Ben-Haim where expected to miss the rest of the season after picking up injuries in the recent defeat against Reading but Lee says both could be in line for a return for the final game of the campaign against Aston Villa this Sunday.

"Abdoulaye Faye has returned to training and will be in the squad for the game against Aston Villa. Tal Ben-Haim is responding well to treatment and we will continue to monitor his situation throughout the week" said Lee

Even better news for the new Wanderers boss is the progress made by Irish full back Joey O'Brien who has missed the whole of the 2006-07 season with tendonitis in his knees.

O'Brien is making steady progress in his rehabilitation and Lee expects the 21-year old to make a successful return to action around the start of next season.

"Joey's rehab is going very well which is great for him, there's light at the end of the tunnell"

However, Nicky Hunt (calf) and El-Hadji Diouf (hamstring) will not return to full fitness until after the game with Villa.