MJ Williams and George Johnston have returned to training at Wanderers and both could be involved in the squad set to face league leaders Sheffield Wednesday.

Bolton have organised a B Team friendly against Stockport County next week where both players are pencilled in to play – and that could go a long way to deciding whether they are ready to feature in the Papa Johns Trophy final at Wembley on April 2.

Ian Evatt has confirmed that both players are fit enough to be considered at Hillsborough but says their return will be a bigger boost to the season run-in, with eight games remaining after the Wembley final.

“Having them back is huge,” he said. “Win, lose, or draw on Friday I still think we will be in a positive place. It might not look like that in two weeks, but in two months it might.

“I know what we have coming back. George and MJ coming back this week, just having their leadership skills around the group and training ground has been fantastic.

“They look great. They are freshened up and ready to go.

“We have a friendly next week to get some serious minutes into them to get them match fit, so it is great to have them back.”

Johnston has been out since January 28, when he limped out of the 2-1 win at Charlton Athletic with an ankle ligament tear, while Williams has had minor surgery to clean up his knee having last featured in the 1-0 win against Forest Green on January 24.

George Thomason is fit again after a knee injury sustained in early December which, at the time, was feared to have ended his season.

Evatt says the midfielder is also pushing for a recall to the team after being an unused substitute in the last couple of weeks.

“If you ask him, he’s desperate to play and he wants to help,” the manager said.

“He is an important player for us, and he is someone we are looking at.

“Young players have ups and downs, they have dips, and that is again just part of the process. If you look at them all, they have all had highs and lows.

“Azzer has had some really big highs but in the past couple of weeks he’ll admit there has been a little dip. Traff has had lows, Conor has had lows, it is just the way you manage them.

“Tommo is another one of those. He is a fantastic character who just wants to help this football club as much as possible.”