One of the main topics of the week just gone has been the Jamie Devitt scan results, as we all waited with bated breath to see the extent of the injury, and whether or not it would require surgery.
Speaking after yesterday’s game, manager Paul Simpson said: “He’s had better news, some really good news to be honest with you.
“We were told it was either going to be three months or five months, depending if he needed surgery, so he went to see a specialist in London, and they rescanned it.
“They think if they can do two or three PRP injections into the quad it could be maybe eight or nine weeks. That’s a damn sight better than three or five months. Maybe not a hell of a lot, but it is better.
“I know Dev got a massive lift when he heard that news, so we’ve just got to be patient, get him right, and hopefully get him out there so he’s doing more of the volleyed pass out to the right wing type of thing that we saw from him in his last game.”
“So, yes, that’s much better than it could have been,” he added. “We were told from the original scan he’d ruptured his thigh, but this different way of treating it is a real boost for him.
“I had a conversation with him on Thursday, and then I sent him a message when I got the news last night, and I had a conversation with him again today. When you’re in that sort of position, any good news is great news. It is good news for him.
“We’ll do everything we can to look after him. His head had gone earlier in the week, with the news he’d heard. I said to him you need to clear your head, I want you to go away, and have a day at home with your family. But when you come back in I really need you, because you’re a big personality in the group.
“He’s a voice in the group and even though he’s not fit and available, he can be influential. I’ve got to say, we came back in the dressing room after the game, he’s the first happy smiling face at the door, greeting all the players when they came in.
“He has a real role to play and hopefully he can muster up the energy and enthusiasm to do that whilst he’s getting fit over the next couple of months.”
On some of the other injured players, he told us: “Ryan Edmondson, the scan doesn’t look very good but he’s been building up, he’s got no pain now, the swelling’s going.
“We’re actually hoping we might be able to start him running on the grass this week and we’ll see how that goes. Fingers crossed he makes a good recovery from that one.
“Joel Senior is still on track for possibly the end of October or beginning of November. He’s been doing really well. This week he’s been in Manchester running on an alter-g machine.
“He comes back then goes back down for another week at St George’s Park where he really progressed last time, he’s on site and has all the facilities there. Fingers crossed that will be the case.
“We’re still waiting for Ben Barclay to get into a state where he can run on the grass, and Tobi Sho-Silva we want back, and you’re looking at four or five players there who can come back into the group and make a difference.”
Click HERE to watch an interview with Paul Simpson on iFollow United now.
Click HERE to see a clip from this interview on our YouTube channel. Follow the same link for more FREE content right from the heart of the club.
