Dyer set for October return

Kieron Dyer should be fit for first-team duty before the end of the month, according to Newcastle boss Glenn Roeder.

The midfielder has been sidelined for six months by a persistent hamstring problem which has seen him play just 10 games in 2006. But he took part in a specially-organised practice match on Tuesday morning after Roeder decided against throwing him into reserve-team action for the time being.

"We are working in short time-frames, therefore it would be wrong to pencil in an exact date," Roeder told the club's official website, www.nufc.co.uk. "We review things on a daily basis. If all goes to plan, Kieron will be able to stand the pace of a Premiership game before the end of the month. I am confident that will be the case."

A return to action would go a long way towards erasing the bitter memories of the last few months for the England midfielder.

He admits he sank to the depths of depression as his recurring hamstring injuries left the medics scratching their heads for a solution, with his career hanging in the balance.

Roeder was at pains to stress how "positive and upbeat" Dyer is feeling at the moment and revealed the rationale behind putting the player through his paces.

"We wanted to give Kieron an hour in a game that we can control, and he is looking in great shape.

"He has already played 45 minutes in a similar game and now we have stepped that up. "Kieron has been working very hard in training and he is going to be vitally important for us this season.

"This is more a build-up to him getting back to action for the first team because his comeback started some time ago. He had been working every day to overcome the problem."

Roeder is also hoping to have Nolberto Solano back in the squad for Sunday's visit of Bolton after the Peruvian missed the whole of September with a hamstring injury.