SAMMY Igoe looks set to become the next Cherries star to battle through the pain barrier after being given the all-clear to join the club’s walking wounded.

The midfield playmaker made a goalscoring return following an eight-week lay-off when he paved the way for Cherries’ FA Cup victory at Chesterfield 12 days ago.

But Igoe, who had been sidelined due to bone bruising in his right knee, saw his comeback cut short when he was forced off after sustaining a deep gash to the shin on the same leg.

He required five stitches and was ruled out of Cherries’ trip to Bradford on Saturday – just days after he had seen a specialist for a further consultation on his ongoing knee problem.

Boss Eddie Howe told the Daily Echo: “The specialist told Sammy he could keep playing through the injury because he wouldn’t make the bone bruising any worse.

“He is still in discomfort but, hopefully, it will be bearable enough for him to play. The cut to his shin is healing but he is still doubtful for Macclesfield.”

Igoe’s training programme is expected to be restricted during the next couple of months with the 33-year-old likely to work with his team-mates only twice a week.

Cherries’ ongoing transfer embargo has resulted in a number of players pushing themselves through the pain threshold, while Igoe’s absence gave Howe a major dilemma on the left-hand side of midfield at Bradford.

Josh McQuoid would have been in contention to replace Igoe at Valley Parade, had he not been on international duty with Northern Ireland.

Instead, Howe asked Danny Hollands to deputise and said of his skipper’s performance: “It is always a test of attitude playing out of position and Danny’s attitude was excellent. He did a really good job.”

Meanwhile, midfielder Joe Partington, who returned to the bench at Bradford following a spell on the sidelines with a groin problem, is also far from fully fit.

Injured pair Shaun Cooper and Scott Guyett, who have been working on a specially-adapted treadmill at Southampton Solent University, could both start running outside this week, however.

Guyett is two to three weeks away from returning to full training following knee surgery, while Cooper is still on schedule to be back around the turn of the year.