Liam Boyce's long-awaited return to training with Burton Albion is giving the Brewers squad a timely lift, according to Nigel Clough.

The Northern Ireland international has made an impressively quick recovery from the ACL injury that he sustained in the pre-season friendly at Shrewsbury Town on July 29.

Following his club-record move to Burton in the summer, Boyce - the Scottish Premiership's top scorer last season - was seen as the man to get the goals that would give Albion the best chance of another Championship survival.

Liam Boyce chases the ball against West Bromwich Albion

Six months on the sidelines has not affected his eye for finding the net, judging by what Clough saw at a recent finishing session in training.

With two new signings now in the squad in Martin Samuelsen and Darren Bent, and at least one more possibly arriving before Tuesday's clash with Reading, Boyce's presence alongside his Burton teammates at training could have a notable impact - as will the prospect of Boyce and Bent both being available for selection in the not-too-distant future.

Inevitably, though, the coaching staff will manage the striker's return to contact work following a lengthy spell out with the knee injury.

"The best news we have had is that Liam Boyce is stepping up his recovery, and will probably join in and do a little bit of training on Friday," said Clough.

"He won't be flying into tackles - but it's difficult to stop him!

Liam Boyce is carried off after rupturing his ACL in pre-season
Liam Boyce is carried off after rupturing his ACL in pre-season

"So you have to put him in as a floating player first of all, just so there's no contact really.

"But even in pre-season, we saw him flying in with a goalkeeper in one, I think it was at AFC Wimbledon.

"Even then you think, 'don't go into that tackle'! And then ironically enough, he gets injured with nobody near him (at Shrewsbury).

"Having him back and around has been a big lift.

"He did some finishing yesterday, joined in the finishing session with everybody.

"Just from doing that, you can see the sort of quality he has.

"It's huge. Martin has lifted it coming in, Boycey has being back, and if we can get another two or three in, that will lift it as well."

One man who is not able to have his usual impact at Brewers training currently is Will Miller.

Will Miller tracks Chris Gunter
Will Miller tracks Chris Gunter

The former Tottenham Hotspur forward is out for the season after detaching his knee cap in the 3-1 loss to Queens Park Rangers earlier this month.

There was positive news following surgery on the injury last weekend, though.

"The one who always lifts everybody's spirits is Will Miller, in his training and everything he does in being around the place," added Clough.

"He is going to be a big miss in the next three months.

"It (the surgery) went as well as it could've done.

"He was quite comfortable on the Saturday, he was in a lot of pain on Sunday and Monday.

"He is back down in London for a few days, and then he'll come back up and start his rehab next week."