Gillam set for facial surgery

UNLUCKY John Gillam, the injured Oldham RL winger, fears he could be out of action for a month, or more.

Following a facial specialist’s examination on his broken nose and fractured eye socket he will have an operation tomorrow in North Manchester General Hospital.

“I will be in hospital overnight,” he said, “and the way the medical people are talking it looks like I won’t be playing again for at least another month.”

Gillam was injured in the Northern Rail Cup game against Whitehaven at the Whitebank Stadium on February 27 when he went hard and low for the try line, only to be smashed in the face by a stray knee.

“A defender slid across to stop me scoring,” he added, “and I took the full force of his knee in my face. I thought at first the damage was restricted to my nose, but after a night’s sleep the area around my eye was swollen and I couldn’t see.

“It’s frustrating because it’s a case of deja vu. In the second Northern Rail Cup game last year I smashed my shoulder and I was out for 10 weeks, missing two more Northern Rail Cup games, two Challenge Cup ties and the first five league games.

“I’m not going to be out for anything like as long as that this time, but I’m still gutted at the prospect of missing the next few league games.”