Gillingham have a key player back training after injury - but this weekend could be too soon for a return.

Midfielder Tim Dieng hasn’t played since early September, suffering a knee injury after a foul from Grimsby’s Danny Amos in the final seconds of the match at Blundell Park.

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Dieng, 31, moved to the Gills in January from Exeter and was expected to play a big part of the promotion push this term.

He’s now back in full training, free from injury and only in need of upping his match fitness.

Interim manager Keith Millen said: “Medically he is fine and it’s about getting him some fitness now and up to speed.

“The injury has cleared up, he has been in full contact training, he is just missing match fitness. There is no risk factor now but he has missed a lot of games and it is about getting his match fitness up.”

If Dieng isn’t involved with the first team immediately, there is an EFL Trophy match coming up against Fulham under-21s next Tuesday (November 7) and a B Team fixture pencilled in against West Ham.

Millen said: “I think it will be a case of getting him some minutes as a sub and keep building up his fitness in training.”

The interim manager started out with numerous injury issues to deal with but many of those problems are clearing up.

He said: “We are getting players slowly back, but we are a little bit short of options in the front areas at the moment.

“We have to be a little bit creative maybe in the likes of Jonny Williams, who has been really good in the last few games, and George Lapsplie who has come back now and is fully fit. It gives us a different creative option, we have players back and it would be nice to get a few more.”

Striker Oli Hawkins’ progression is “in the right direction” while Ashley Nadesan is “improving really well.”

Robbie McKenzie is recovering from surgery to a stomach-related issue but Millen said: “It’s quite a quick turnaround in recovery, hopefully.

“He tried to play on with it but at Walsall was in a lot of pain first half. He has had the surgery, it went well, he is almost back running now.”

Cheye Alexander returned to action at Swindon but Millen said his inclusion was touch and go, following illness. The right-back missed a penalty but the interim boss has no issues about him staying on spot-kick duty.

One player who has found some form under Millen is Jonny Williams.

He had one of his best games for the Gills at Swindon in midweek.

Millen said: “I have known Jonny a long, long time. We were at Crystal Palace together. I get on with him and I know what makes him tick.

“I try and get the best out of him and try and get him a bit of freedom in his game, that is always the way I felt. I don’t think you can say to him, ‘just go in there and do a job for the team’.

“He needs to be a bit more free. When he gets that freedom he is a top player, at Portsmouth it was a big confidence boost for him to score his first goal, since then he has been really effective.”