Kevin Nolan: “Basically, I’ve had a long-standing problem where I was getting treatment day in, day out to get out on the training field and play every week.
“There was a lot of scar tissue because I’ve had the previous two operations, and I’ve come back too early.
“We just really wanted to give it the best time to heal and give myself the best chance that I won’t be going through these problems next season.
“I’ve been on crutches, but come Tuesday I’ll be off them and be able to walk, and slowly but surely build the ankle up again, so I’m not having to go into physio rooms early doors before training and before games.
“Hopefully, that’s the end of it. I also had a bit of an injection in the back of my knee, which has been a bit of a problem over the last three or four months of the season. That seems to have settled down.
“We took the opportunity with us being safe. The gaffer made the final decision, and between him and the medical staff, they decided it would be the best opportunity to be back and raring to go on the first day of pre-season.”