Banned Bednar nearer a return

Suspended striker Roman Bednar is back at Albion’s training ground – and he has been handed a squad number for the new season.

Bednar has retained his No 9 shirt, offering a further hint that the Baggies are willing to give him a second chance following his drugs shame.

And the Czech Republic international has been invited to use the facilities at the club’s training ground to maintain his fitness, although he is still exiled from his team-mates.

Albion are keen to keep Bednar fit for when and if he returns to the club, and officials are also anxious not to pre-judge the outcome of an FA enquiry into the Sunday newspaper sting that apparently caught the forward buying cocaine.

The FA have cleared Bednar to use club facilities for fitness work, but he is only allowed to train when the rest of the first-team squad are elsewhere.

He was today handed a squad number for the new season while new signing Simon Cox was given the No 31 shirt that he wore with great success at Swindon last season.

Want-away captain Jonathan Greening has kept his No 8 shirt while centre-back Jonas Olsson – previously No 26 – has taken on the No 3 shirt vacated by Paul Robinson.

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This article was posted on Friday, July 24th, 2009 at 12:30 pm.