Injury setback for Jacobson

JOE JACOBSON has dealt Athletic a major injury blow on the eve of the new season.

It is feared the 22-year-old left-back will require surgery to repair a hernia which would rule him out of the opening month of the campaign.

Manager Dave Penney has revealed that Jacobson, a former Wales under-21 international, will see a specialist early next week but he is expecting the worst.

The injury to Jacobson hastened Penney’s move into the transfer market to bring in Peter Gilbert as a replacement left-back.

Athletic have received some cheer on the injury front, however, with Neal Eardley and Jon Worthington declared fit.

Eardley, who continues to be linked with a transfer to Championship outfit Blackpool, has recovered from tendonitis in his knee.

The player will be desperate to play after he was named in the full Wales squad for Wednesday’s friendly against Montenegro.

Worthington has recovered from the tight hamstring which saw him limp out of the early stages of last Saturday’s friendly against Blackpool.

ATHLETIC (probable): Brill, Eardley, Hazell, Gregan, Gilbert, Smalley, Furman, Worthington, Taylor, Abbott, Parker. Subs: Holdsworth, Lomax, Whitaker, O’Grady, Byfield, Marrow, Kazimierczak.