WELSH international Craig Bellamy has been pencilled in for Newcastle's crucial Champions League trip to Feyenoord, after the speedy frontman was given the all-clear to resume training.
Bellamy will be back at the Chester-le-Street training ground this morning, after spending five days in America for a consultation with knee specialist Dr Richard Steadman.
Yesterday Magpies' manager Sir Bobby Robson revealed he hoped to have the striker back in action in a fortnight, in time for the trip to Rotterdam on November 13.
"I haven't ruled him out (for Feyenoord) and if we all think the same way then he has a chance," said the Newcastle boss.
"He served his three-match suspension so it could be his first match.
"As long as we train him well he's the sort of lad who can go into a big game without a long preparation.
"He's capable of going into a game like that without any problems."
The club, and the player himself, will be relieved by the news that there is no need for further surgery on the knee that has troubled him since the Sunderland game at the Stadium of Light in February.
Bellamy felt he had fully recovered from the injury, but broke down after training recently complaining of pain in the joint.
Robson said: "I think he needs some guidance, some confidence and some pushing from us, and I think all of those things will take place.
"You have to remember that when he scored the goal for Wales (against Italy), he came back full of the joys of spring.
"He was shouting about how good his knee was and then seven days later he told us he can't go on.
"He shocked us all when he said 'I can't train', and to support the player we said we'd get him to see the surgeon. The surgeon's news is to bring him back gradually.
"If another operation was the option then he was prepared for that, and having gone there (the USA) I'm sure he feels a lot better for it.
"To be fair to him he's a keen lad and he loves playing and he loves training - he'll be keen to get back in the team."
But the £6m signing from Coventry won't be rushed back, with Robson warning he won't be playing two games a week for a number of months.
"For the first two months we should avoid that," said Sir Bobby.
"We should get him back into training gradually and he certainly will not play two games a week - one will be sufficient at the moment.
"But he could be up and running in two weeks."
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