Keith Curle with an injury update on Mark Gillespie and Dave Symington
Manager Keith Curle brought us up to date with the injury situation with Dave Symington and Mark Gillespie.
“I think there were mixed reports coming out about the injury to Dave over the weekend,” he said. “We heard it was everything from a dislocated knee to a fractured ankle. David was released from hospital on Sunday so we’ll wait for the reports to be assessed before we add to the rumour mill.
“It’s a shame because he has been chomping at the bit to play football. He’s been doing extra sessions and the only thing missing has been 90 minutes of a competitive game. Hopefully it will be something he will recover from quickly.”
“With Mark, and without going into too much of the finer detail, he’s got a slight tear in the groin and he’s going to be out for four to six weeks,” he told us. “It’ll be a case of seeing how well it heals for him as to how quick we can get him back in full training and playing again.
“It’s a shame for him because we were entering into talks about his contract. That was something we felt his performances warranted and merited. That will go on hold because we need to find out the extent of all of this.
“It’s a recurrence of something which has happened before, and he’ll want to know as much as we do. His recovery process needs to strengthen it completely so it doesn’t go again. We think the procedure he went through last time was correct, but what he won’t want is a recurring injury that will keep knocking him back.”
“He’s a good character, and a very professional young man, and he’s made of good stuff,” he commented. “He’s a player who can handle disappointment in the right way. It will give him the drive he needs to come back a stronger and better athlete.
“It’s an opportunity for Dan Hanford to show us what he can do and, if we do add another keeper to the mix, that’s the competitiveness we need in the squad.”
