Kean hopes on Morecambe return for Mansfield

But he could then face a real battle to win back his shirt.

The loanee Sheffield Wednesday stopper suffered bone bruising in a challenge during the home win over Newport County last month.

“I spoke to Jake this morning and he’s hoping to be back in training at the back end of this week,” said manager Steve Evans.

“So we’d probably say a realistic objective is Saturday week to be on the pitch.

“Whether that’s starting, I have to say Scott Shearer has been excellent and perhaps because of mistakes in the past he doesn’t get the credit the big fellow deserves.”

Evans also has two centre halves champing at the bit after injury in Kyle Howkins and George Taft.

“Kyle is fit,” he said. “We just decided we wanted a more attacking bench. He has been fortunate as he’s been able to have a couple of games at West Brom and a couple of closed doors games with ourselves too.

“George is fit in terms of being injury-free, but is he ready for competitive games and the heat of battle? That remains a question.

“He is someone we want to see out there, as with Kyle, but I will always pick the team fairly and make sure we are picking players who are ready. We don’t have time for a schedule of saying we are going to give you some game time. With nine games to go we are beyond that.”