Kinnear aims to be back in a month

(GETTY IMAGES)

The Newcastle United manager Joe Kinnear is aiming to be back at work in under a month, the club's managing director Derek Llambias said yesterday. The 62 year-old had heart by-pass surgery four weeks ago after falling ill prior to Newcastle's game at West Bromwich Albion on 7 February.

"He has made excellent progress and is already doing a lot of walking," Llambias said of Kinnear. "He says he is feeling strong and the doctors are happy with him and how things are going in his recovery. We're happy as well and it all seems to be going to schedule.

"If it was up to Joe he would come back tomorrow, but realistically we are looking at the Stoke game [on 11 April].

"But we won't let him go in the dugout at Stoke, we can't have him jumping around and getting excited on the touchline. He'll have to take a seat with [owner] Mike [Ashley] and I in the stand and watch the game from there. We have to make sure he doesn't do too much."