TOWN fans may not see injured duo Lee Peacock and Hasney Aljofree for months, with boss Danny Wilson admitting the pair face a long road to recovery.

Striker Peacock went under the surgeon’s knife twice during the close season in a bid to cure a long-standing back complaint, while defender Aljofree is currently in his rehabilitation following a knee operation.

And Wilson believes it will be a long time before the pair are back training as normal with their first team colleagues.

“Lee Peacock is miles behind and Aljofree is on the road to recovery but nowhere near the pre-season work yet,” said the boss.

“It’s disappointing and I couldn’t even put a time span on it at the moment because we just don’t know. We’ll keep working on it with Dick (Mackey, Swindon physio) and the doctors as best as we can, and it’s just disappointing that they are not up and ready and playing now.

“Lee’s a different kettle of fish to Aljofree, purely because of the long term injury that he had which enhanced it. With Lee one minute you think he’s okay and then the next he’s had a setback.

“Nobody likes to sit on the sidelines and watch the other players get on with it and enjoy themselves. It’s frustrating for them and for us, but we’ve just got to get through it, get on with it and keep working.”

Meanwhile, Wilson is confident new signing Scott Cuthbert will be available for selection as Town travel to Gillingham on August 8 for the season’s opener.

The versatile former Celtic defender underwent a hernia operation in the summer before his recent switch to the County Ground, and has so far only taken part in light training.

But the manager revealed he will soon step up the pace and could play some part in Swindon’s final warm-up games.

“Scott Cuthbert will be ready to start his footballing training in the next week or so,” said Wilson.

“He will be fine and up and running by the first game of the season, there’s no doubt about that.

“Hopefully we will see him in at least one or two of the pre-season games before that.”