IAIN DOWIE has assured Charlton supporters that top-scorer Darren Bent will be available for the start of the new Premiership season on August 19.

News that the England international had severed a tendon in a finger while making a sandwich at home provoked unfounded speculation that he would be out for more than a month.

Dowie said: "Darren will be available for the start of the league season, there is no doubt in my mind about that."

Bent added: "I couldn’t believe what happened. I was in such a state of shock afterwards that I couldn’t tell you what was in the sandwich."

However, one player who will miss the start of the campaign is winger Jerome Thomas, who broke his foot during the friendly defeat at Hibernian.

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