BLUES boss Joe Royle is not asking for much - just two fit, experienced strikers playing together before the end of the season.While it is unlikely that will happen this weekend against Stoke City, Royle's hope may be fulfilled the following Saturday at home to Derby with Nicky Forster pencilled in to make a return and join Alan Lee in the attack.

By Derek Davis

BLUES boss Joe Royle is not asking for much - just two fit, experienced strikers playing together before the end of the season.

While it is unlikely that will happen this weekend against Stoke City, Royle's hope may be fulfilled the following Saturday at home to Derby with Nicky Forster pencilled in to make a return and join Alan Lee in the attack.

Forster has trained with the first team this week and should play his first competitive match on Monday for the reserves at Norwich City.

Royle said: “We have not had the luxury of two strikers very often this season so it would be great to have Nicky back before the end of the season.

“He has been doing well in training and we might have given him 45 minutes in our reserve game on Monday but decided to let him have another week's training first.

“He will play at Norwich and we will see from there.

“Nicky, like Sam Parkin, has worked very hard to get fit, perhaps too hard at times, so he deserves to be playing again before the end of the season.”

A game or two for the free signing from Reading would be just reward and give Forster the chance to be ready for a full pre-season with the Blues.

Sam Parkin, his original strike partner, was last night seeing another specialist about his tendon problem following his operation last year on a broken ankle and it is unlikely he will figure again this season.

Club skipper Jim Magilton is hoping to make a couple more appearances before he calls time on his Ipswich Town career and is likely to be on the bench on Saturday as he joins in training today after recovering from a foot problem.

Royle said: “We are hoping Jim can play some part in Saturday's game but we will see how he goes in training.”

Irish defender Chris Casement is likely to make his first start for the Blues against the Potters as he slips in at right-back for Sito Castro and Danny Haynes may be given his head up front alongside Lee, which would see Town fielding four 18-year-olds in the first-team squad with Owen Garvan and Shane Supple already established.

Released midfielder Cathal Lordan is set to join Bradford City on a week's trial after spending 10 days with Irish league side Cork City, where his brother Cillian is a defender.

Boston United have made tentative enquiries about defender Scott Mitchell, who is also out of contract in the summer.