Northampton Town midfielder Jack Sowerby is set for an extended period of absence having dislocated his knee in Saturday’s 0-0 draw at Blackpool.
The 29-year-old was stretchered off in the 17th minute and after the game head coach Jon Brady said he will be without the midfielder for the foreseeable future.
Sowerby’s injury means the club is without a number of senior players, with Manchester City loanee Luke Mbete out with a hamstring injury and defenders Patrick Brough and Ali Koiki also out long term.
“Poor Jack Sowerby, I really feel for him,” Brady told BBC Radio Northampton.
“It’s galling really because they are a great group of lads and they’ve given their all for this football club – it’s just tough to take.”
The 49-year-old also confirmed that a number of players have returned to action earlier than expected in order to help deal with an even bigger injury crisis.
“[Timothy] Eyoma was on a sofa two and a bit weeks ago and he has played like that. That is unbelievable,” Brady added.
“People expect that we’ve got to get results when you haven’t even got a number nine.
“I’m trying to get Tyler Roberts back up to speed and I don’t want him to break so I’m having to shuffle the pack.
“Then Waggy [Martyn Waghorn] comes on and he played 90 minutes the other night and I didn’t want to play him 90 but [Liam] McCarron comes off injured so I’m having to juggle everything at the moment.
Northampton are currently 16th in League One, four points clear of the relegation zone.