Warburton confirms Field’s return to QPR squad

Sam Field has been included in QPR’s squad for Saturday’s game at Blackpool, manager Mark Warburton has confirmed. 

The midfielder is yet to feature since making his loan move from West Brom permanent in the summer following a knee injury he sustained during pre-season training.

But after playing for 45 and 70 minutes in recent B-team and Under-23s matches he has been passed fit to travel to the north west with the Rangers squad on Friday.

Lee Wallace may well also be included as Warburton’s side look to remain in the play-off places ahead of next week’s international break.

Wallace has been sidelined since August after sustaining a serious hamstring injury in the win at Middlesbrough but returned to full training last week and could well line up on the substitutes’ bench.

Wallace’s return is timely for Rangers following the news Sam McCallum will be sidelined until the new year, also due to a hamstring injury, that will require surgery this weekend.

“Lee Wallace is really close now, which is good news,” Warburton said.

“We don’t want to risk any reinjury but at the same time we need his quality. He is a very important player within the team, but it’s about getting the balance right.

“Right now we do have five or six boys who could be doubtful. But Sam Field will be in the squad this weekend.”

Ilias Chair and Andre Gray are among those being assessed by the QPR medical team and could miss out after picking up knocks in Wednesday’s victory at Cardiff.

“Ilias got a whack on Friday against Forest and got another at Cardiff on Wednesday and is with the medical team now,” Warburton said.

“Andre is one of a number of players who is being checked out.

“It’s the demands of this crazy schedule, I keep getting accused of moaning and complaining but I am just highlighting to the authorities what they need to look at.

“Why are we playing away in Cardiff on a Wednesday night and then away to Blackpool with a late kick-off on Saturday that will see us get back in the early hours of Sunday morning?

“That is something that needs to be looked at to give all players in the division the chance to be available to perform to their best.

“At the moment it is a game every three days and it is placing massive demand on players.

“Over the last week to lose Sam, Jordy (de Wijs), potentially Andre (Gray) and four or five others, it places a massive demand on the squad.”