Luke Chadwick is pushing himself through the pain barrier in Norwich City's battle to escape the Championship relegation zone - which continues against his old club tomorrow.

Luke Chadwick is pushing himself through the pain barrier in Norwich City's battle to escape the Championship relegation zone - which continues against his old club tomorrow.

The 27-year-old winger is expected to be available for the game against Stoke City at the Britannia Stadium (3pm) despite continuing to suffer the effects of a long-term shoulder injury.

Chadwick was replaced by substitute Darren Huckerby six minutes into the second half of Tuesday's 3-1 win at Blackpool, but manager Glenn Roeder believes he will figure in his plans against the Potters.

“Luke has a shoulder injury. We are managing that. It may need an operation but we don't feel he does at the moment,” said Roeder.

“He's prepared to play on and has shown a terrific attitude. Some players would demand an operation immediately but he realises the predicament we are in and is prepared to soldier on and put the operation off for the moment.”

Chadwick joined City from Stoke 12 months ago, initially on loan but eventually for a fee of about £200,000. After scoring on his debut at Ipswich, he was stretchered off in the same game and was sidelined for four months following a knee operation. He also hurt his shoulder in the same incident, in which he collided with an advertising hoarding. But Roeder said the problem went back further than that.

“I know he was injured at Ipswich last season, when it was thought he'd done his shoulder and he finished up with a hole in his knee, but the shoulder injury is something he's had since he was at Manchester United, so it's what you'd call a chronic injury,” said the City boss.

“But I have no reason to think he won't be available for the game at Stoke.”

Chadwick scored his first goal of the season - and his first in more than a year - as the Canaries claimed their first win in 12 league games with a 2-0 success at home to Coventry last Saturday.

He has started four of Roeder's five games as manager, missing only the trip to Plymouth with hamstring trouble, but has yet to complete 90 minutes.