Winston Reid is making progress as he bids to return to the Hammers first team squad.

And the plan for the central defender is that he could be playing in a couple of under 23 games hopefully within a couple of weeks.

The 30 year old has suffered no reaction to his knee injury for several weeks now which is encouraging the manager and medics to start making real plans for his comeback.

If all goes according to plan ‘Reidy’ could even be involved for the under 23s against Sunderland on the 29th of September or  the following week against Cheltenham Town in a Leasing.com Trophy clash at Whaddon Road.

The New Zealander – off for the whole of  last season – is now with the first team squad and involved in contact training.

And we have been told there has been no further reaction to his knee which until a couple of months ago had been swelling up.

We were told by a senior source on the’phone: ” He is making encouraging progress and all being well he will be involved for the under 23s within two or three weeks.”