Striker blow for Penney

Reporter: TONY BUGBY
Date online: 21/09/2009

Blackman joins Purdie and Jacobson on casualty list

ATHLETIC have been dealt three injury blows.

Nick Blackman could face a lengthy absence because of a suspected stress fracture of his foot.

Athletic have yet to discover the full extent of the 19-year-old’s injury, but the striker, who is on loan from Blackburn Rovers until at least January, could be out for some time.

Meanwhile, summer signings Rob Purdie and Joe Jacobson, who have yet to play a competitive match for Athletic, have suffered setbacks in their rehabilitation.

Both players resumed training and were reported to be close to come backs. Left-back Jacobson had even made one appearance for the reserves.

But Athletic manager Dave Penney has revealed they have broken down in training and may need surgery.

Purdie sustained a pelvic injury in early June when the players were called in for an extra week’s training.

Penney said: “Rob had a course of injections and we thought the injury was settling down and he had even resumed training.

“It’s back to square one and Rob will see a specialist to see if we can give him a different course of treatment or he may need an operation. We seem to have hit a brick wall with him.”

Jacobson, will also see a specialist and the fear is that he, too, will require surgery to cure a pelvic problem.

Athletic’s squad is down to the bare bones.

Penney had to do without Deane Smalley (back), Jon Worthington (ankle), Andy Holdsworth (knee) and Alex Marrow (sickness) against Carlisle United on Saturday.

They were left with only 12 senior players, and one of those was captain and central defender Sean Gregan, who played despite being ill with a virus which has swept through the club in recent weeks.

And two other members of the dozen — Chris Taylor and Pawel Abbott — are playing with injuries.

Despite struggling for numbers, Penney has ruled out any imminent move into the loan market, but the situation may change if the injury crisis worsens.