Notts County boss Nolan delighted to welcome old Newcastle team-mate Ameobi back from injury

(Photo: Chronicle Live)

Kevin Nolan has received a boost ahead of the League Two leaders’ game against Forest Green at Meadow Lane on Saturday, as Shola Ameobi continues to make strides back towards full fitness.

Ameobi, a former team-mate of Nolan’s at Newcastle, has been out of action since injuring his hamstring in the 2-0 win against Morecambe at the start of last month.

However he returned off the bench in the 3-1 defeat at Mansfield last weekend, and now looks set for an ever-increasing amount of football with the Magpies.

“Shola’s return is great as it gives us more options,” Nolan told the Nottingham Post.

“We are now at the point where, with the exception of Dan Jones, we are a fully-fit squad.

“He [Ameobi] has done a lot of work. but we are not going to rush him because we don’t want a recurrence of his injury.

“We are delighted how quick he has come back and it just shows that the work he did in pre-season enabled him to be strong and ready to go against Mansfield.”

The experienced 35-year-old spent three and a half years alongside Nolan on Tyneside, with the current Notts County manager moving to West Ham in 2011 and Ameobi joining Turkish side Gaziantep in 2014.

The Nigerian international signed for County in February of this year, and netted four times in 17 games last term. However he is yet to find the back of the net this season, but will be hoping to do so upon his return to full fitness.