Richard Chaplow will return to first-team action for Saints this week.

The midfielder has recovered from a knee injury that initially forced him out of action in late November.

Manager Nigel Adkins revealed after the 0-0 draw at Birmingham that Chaplow is available for selection again.

And the 27-year-old will make his comeback in tomorrow’s FA Cup fourth round replay against Millwall.

“Richard Chaplow will start the game,” confirmed Adkins, who will also hand a first start to striker Japanese international striker Tadanari Lee.

Chaplow, who has been sidelined for the last 13 games, is the latest in a long line of key men to return for Saints.

The team has been without a number of significant players through either injury or suspension in the last few weeks.

But the squad once again has a very healthy look about it.

With Saints remaining well-placed in second position after the stalemate at St Andrew’s, Adkins believes the club is in good shape for the remainder of the season.

“I look at the group of players we’ve got and we’re strong,” he said.

“We’ve got good competition for places and we can deal with the injuries and suspensions that are going to come along.

“We’re playing every three days, that’s what it is now.

“The last half a season is condensed in such a short period of time, and you’re going to need that rotation of the squad of the players to deal with it all.

“I believe we’ve got goals, although we haven’t had a shot sufficiently (against Birmingham), we haven’t scored a goal.

“But there’s goals in the team and we’ve got strength in depth to go and do that.

“Maybe we didn’t play the conditions sufficiently enough in respect of getting that ball forward a lot quicker.”