Port Vale: Anyon faces fitness race
Vale's number one keeper is recovering well after fracturing his left tibia in last season's March 28 defeat at Chesterfield.
The 22-year-old has resumed light training, and Bower is cautiously optimistic over his prospects of being ready to face Rochdale, at Vale Park, on August 8.
Bower said: "I'm 50-50 over it, but we'll see how it goes over the next couple of weeks.
"If the injury responds how I want it to, then he should be OK. If it doesn't, he may miss the first couple of weeks.
"We are in unchartered waters and we don't know how the leg is going to respond when he starts running and doing more functional stuff.
"In the next couple of weeks we'll reassess it and look at the timescale again."
Anyon, who is currently sporting a small leg splint, is still limping, but is able to move his left knee and ankle freely.
Yesterday, he received a positive report from a specialist, while an X-ray revealed the injury is healing well.
His rehabilitation work has included cardio work, including bike and walking sessions, as well as acupuncture.
It is hoped Anyon will begin jogging in the next fortnight before gradually building up to more vigorous impact work over the next five weeks.
Bower says his target of getting the keeper fit by the start of the season has been boosted by his dedicated attitude.
"Joe has worked very hard," Bower added.
"I have known him since his youth-team days and he's always been very professional.
"That's why I'm confident he can come back as strong as he was before."
Meanwhile, boss Micky Adams has quashed rumours linking Vale to former Brighton left-back Kerry Mayo.
The 31-year-old made more than 400 appearances for the Seagulls
But while Adams says he would "never say never" over any transfer deal, he insists he has no plans to offer Mayo a deal.
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