GARY Bowyer will soon have three goalkeepers to choose from, and that will be a nice headache to have.

It’s great to see that Paul Robinson is getting close to a return because is a quality goalkeeper, and hopefully he won’t be hampered by the back problem any more.

Sometimes players do try to play through injuries and I know it’s been said that maybe he tried to do that early last season.

A goalkeeper has to be mobile and be able to dive and throw himself about, so if you’re protecting a back problem that’s not ideal.

There were maybe a couple of times when he moved backwards during matches and he had to think about it, but it’s hard to really know with hindsight how much the injury affected him.

Now he will be champing at the bit to play again.

Patience wears thin when you’re been out for a year like he has.

I was in the same situation myself when I was coming back from a broken leg and you play two or three reserve games and think, ‘Yes I’m ready now’.

Then you play two or three more games and you start thinking, ‘Well I was ready before’.

But the manager and the coaching staff will be watching you and maybe noticing a little limp or one or two things. It’s their job to really assess when you are ready.

Paul has played a couple of games and only the medical staff will know exactly how long he needs, but maybe he might need a couple more games yet.

He played a game and had seven days’ recovery, then after that you play a game and have five days.

Eventually you get it down to a day’s recovery and then you’re ready.

It will be a nice challenge for the manager when he has all three keepers available.

Paul’s experience will be great for the defence and that’s what he brings, although ultimately it’s about how the goalkeeper performs.

Jake Kean had a run in the side and now Simon Eastwood has got his chance, so it’s hard to know who will be third choice.

Normally you have three or four keepers and you have a young one who you send one out on loan to gain experience and see if he progresses.

Maybe they might do that here and send one of them out on loan to get games.

It’s good to hear that Rovers are trying to keep Tom Cairney at the club and that the player says he’s happy here.

I’m sure the club are trying to get something done with Hull as quickly as possible and the sooner they can get it done the better because then you get continuity of selection going into January.

I know Hull have been watching Tom, and other clubs will be watching him because he’s done well.

Although Tom likes it here, if a Premier League club came in and offered him regular football, you’d have to be tempted by that.

When you’ve got a loan player there’s always that risk that someone else can come in buy them.