JOHN McGinlay is prepared to go through the pain barrier to play a part in the Farewell to Burnden.

The Wanderers top scorer, struggling with a thigh injury, has told Colin Todd to count him in when he names his team for Friday night's Charlton game ... even though it could jeopardise his Scotland ambitions.

McGinlay is ready to put club before country but fears he will miss next Wednesday's World Cup qualifier in Sweden, come what may.

"If I don't play on Friday I'll be no use to Scotland because I'll have missed three games," he explains, "and if I do play, I'll run the risk of aggravating the injury and it will probably be my last game of the season anyway.

"I think I might need something to get me through the game, maybe an injection like I had before the Wolves game earlier in the season. But I'm desperate to be fit and the physio, Ewan Simpson, is determined to get me fit.

"Friday's going to be a special night and I want to play, whatever it costs."

McGinlay, who has scored 27 goals in Wanderers' soaraway Championship success, has missed two games after picking up his injury in the title-clinching win at Manchester City a fortnight ago.

He is also due to see a specialist soon to decide whether he will need surgery on a hernia problem that has hampered him in recent weeks.

"It looks like I'm going to have to tell Craig Brown he needs to bring somebody else into his squad for the Sweden game and, if I need surgery in the summer, I'll be out of Scotland action again," McGinlay added.

"But it's Bolton that matters most. I want to finish the season on a high with them.

"After that, the sooner I get this other thing sorted out, the better."

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