SEAN Davis will not be pressured into returning before the end of the season.

The midfielder, who has been out since August with a knee injury, has stepped up his recovery this week to include light running, ball work and swimming with the rest of the squad.

But Bolton boss Owen Coyle insists he will not throw the 30-year-old into Wanderers’ relegation fight unless he is convinced he is ready to play his first game in nearly seven months.

“I’d say it’s unlikely,” said Coyle of a return for Davis before the end of the season. “The thing is, I am very wary of rushing things or putting too much pressure on him.

“We have taken things very steadily and if we can get him back up and running then it will be like having a new signing at the club. He’s a quality footballer.”

After going under the surgeon’s knife in April to repair his articular knee cartilage, Davis spent up to eight hours a day on the same machine that helped save Freddie Flintoff’s cricket career to aid his recovery.

And while he is delighted to be back among his team-mates on a regular basis he, too, refuses to put any timescale on his return.

“I don’t think I will be able to play again this season,” he said. “I’m looking forward to hopefully getting a few full training sessions in. The recovery process does take time, but time is on my hands because I have got to pre-season if needs be.

“I’ll be in over the summer and I’ve got to say that the physios, doctors and medical staff at the club have been great because they have let me get away as much as I can and I have kind of had my break already.

“Hopefully I can come back fitter and stronger because I am looking forward to trying to impress the fans and manager because I haven’t really had the chance to do that.

“The gaffer is enthusiastic and has told me how he is looking forward to working with me. Obviously he won’t see me as much as the other players because I haven’t been out on the training pitches, but when he does then he takes the time to speak to me, which is good.”

Coyle is much more optimistic that Stuart Holden will feature again before the end of the campaign to further his cause for a place in the US squad for this summer’s World Cup.

The midfielder broke his leg on international duty earlier this month but is making excellent progress, and is believed to be only a fortnight away from being considered for the first-team squad.

“I’d hope Stuart can get back by the end of the season,” Coyle said. “The timing of his injury was a real blow to the lad because he had worked ever so hard.

“People sometimes forget just how much we have been hampered by injuries.”