York City forward Michael Coulson could be out for season (From York Press)
Get in touch: send your photos, videos, news & views by texting YORK to 80360 or send an email»
York City forward Michael Coulson could be out for season
11:20am Friday 26th October 2012 in News
By Dave Flett, Sports reporter
YORK City are waiting to learn whether winger Michael Coulson will be ruled out for the rest of the season.
Coulson is definitely going to be sidelined until 2013 following the knee injury he suffered in Tuesday night’s 1-0 win at Accrington Stanley.
But the Scarborough-born 24-year-old will have a second scan today to determine whether he has damaged his cruciate ligament – an injury that he suffered twice in the space of a year when a Barnsley player.
Concerned City chief Gary Mills said: “He’s had one scan which revealed cartilage trouble and medial ligament damage so he will definitely be out for six to eight weeks. The specialist also wants to do a second scan to check if there’s any cruciate damage again.
“If there is, then it would maybe mean his season is over so we are hoping that’s not the case.”
Mills admitted that Coulson’s injury, coupled with John McReady’s dislocated shoulder and Oli Johnson’s on-off fitness problems, could necessitate a dip into the loan market for an attacking reinforcement although there is unlikely to be a new face in place for tomorrow’s League Two clash at Southend.
The City boss added: “Oli Johnson has had a season of injuries and niggles and never really got going but he trained with us yesterday and I’m hoping he’s something like ready now. It might be time, though, to get another body in if he’s not quite right with Couls and John McReady out as well.
“We are a bit short in that area but we will get by with the players who can play there, if needs be.”
Right-back Lanre Oyebanjo has returned to full training following his thigh injury and will be in contention for a recall at Roots Hall.
Mills will also decide whether to restore Matty Blair to the right wing from his recent midfield role, which would then lead to a straight choice between Paddy McLaughlin and Jonathan Smith for a slot in the City engine-room.
Former Newcastle United reserve McLaughlin got the nod when Coulson was stretchered off at Accrington and, if preferred, would be making his first start in five matches.
About that possibility, Mills said: “Paddy hasn’t done a great deal wrong and has been excellent for me from day one since he’s been here. I just felt we needed somebody from midfield getting up the pitch and stretching other teams to provide us with an extra forward at times alongside Jason Walker because, although we like to pass the ball, you can’t keep passing it to yourselves in your own half.
“Matty Blair has been superb in that respect. If we switch him to the right wing, which would be a big decision for me to make, then Paddy or Jonathan Smith will have to do the same if they play there.”
On the challenge of Southend, who suffered a surprise midweek home defeat to Aldershot, Mills added: “They will be looking to put that right but we will go away with confidence and self-belief.”
Comments(23)
YorkCityLuke
says...
5:34pm Thu 25 Oct 12
It's good that we have other midfielders who are also very capable, Paddy is great with creative passing and has excellent vision, but J. Smith is possibly more consistent and dependable (and has experience at this level!). I wouldn't complain about either of them starting on saturday. Banjo coming back is also good news, I wouldn't necessarily swap Danny out automatically as he's been performing well in that role for the last couple of games, but it is always good to have competition for places. I think it's great that, only a few weeks ago, everyone was worried that the left-back position would be a problem: Fyfield has performed exceptionally well and has really made the position his own in the last 5 or 6 games.
joejamestom
says...
5:38pm Thu 25 Oct 12
dazthecat
says...
5:39pm Thu 25 Oct 12
Southern Exile wrote:I agree, but Jonathan smith must be wondering what he's done wrong, I thought he looked pretty good at start of season. Paddy as well for that matter.
Paddy in, must be...
Gutted coulson is injured but will be good to see more of Blair out wide, even if he has started to look better in the middle, and hopefully more of Johnson full stop
billoofyork
says...
6:23pm Thu 25 Oct 12
prefer to see paddy in the middle and blair up top myself. smithy on the bench is then a great option.
best wishes to coulson for a swift recovery and hope it's not as bad as feared
PDH
says...
7:30pm Thu 25 Oct 12
RooBeck
says...
7:56pm Thu 25 Oct 12
EcclesMustScore
says...
8:47pm Thu 25 Oct 12
rogue84
says...
10:29pm Thu 25 Oct 12
we should be able to cope, however, especially as Chambers & Walker are starting to really hit their straps now.
would be a big win if we can get it on saturday, with 3 home games in a row after that (inc FA Cup). I would expect to beat Northampton and the 'Dons twice!
Tug job
says...
9:06am Fri 26 Oct 12
EcclesMustScore wrote:If you read this article properly you would know that it is a specialist who has made this diagnosis following a scan and that a follow up scan has been ordered. Do you really think a professional club would fail to arrange specialist medical treatment to deal with a player's injuries? How very naive. The physiotherapist has a role to play, but this does not include being the arbiter of whether or not a player is fit for action. Anyone who was there on Tuesday could tell you that it was obvious the Couls will be out for some time.
Hate to big down (is that the opposite of big up?) Jeff Miller, but following his hopelessly optimistic misdiagnosis of Scott Kerr's knee injury last season, it would appear that he's again rushed in to make an ill-informed diagnosis of Coulson's injury - best leave the diagnoses to the doctors Jeff...
localleaguelegend
says...
10:24am Fri 26 Oct 12
Some old bloke
says...
11:16am Fri 26 Oct 12
The other point is that on the night Jeff Miller would have been trying to be positive for Michael's sake, so let's not sack him just yet.
uhtred
says...
11:31am Fri 26 Oct 12
Southern Exile
says...
12:18pm Fri 26 Oct 12
uhtred wrote:Er... Carlisle?
with the exception of Kearns, if and hopefully so Paddy gets the call, back to last seasons team despite the summer signings.
localleaguelegend
says...
1:17pm Fri 26 Oct 12
uhtred
says...
2:05pm Fri 26 Oct 12
Southern Exile wrote:true,forgot about him perhaps I should have said with, the exception of loanees. The point I was making was that only Coulson of the permanent signings has made an impression on selction.
uhtred wrote: with the exception of Kearns, if and hopefully so Paddy gets the call, back to last seasons team despite the summer signings.Er... Carlisle?
Perhaps now we have a 3 man managerial team there will be more scouting and less speculative signings relying on reputation and recommendations
Budgie
says...
3:52pm Fri 26 Oct 12
Sir Alex
says...
4:23pm Fri 26 Oct 12
paddymacwakey
says...
6:28pm Fri 26 Oct 12
daveymcgurk
says...
7:12pm Fri 26 Oct 12
duffy
says...
8:50pm Fri 26 Oct 12
paddymacwakey wrote:He was always a gamble based on his past terrible injury record. Fans of his other clubs praise his skill so Mills obviously thought it was a gamble worth taking
can someone tell me why ollie johnson is always injured,because its not playing in the team.out of 14 league games and a couple of cup games,he has only played about an hours football.are they kicking hell out of him in training.as i have said on here before,i expected big things from him when he came here.not just me,but a lot more supporters are dissapointed in him.still stand by what i said early at start of season,oxford passed a crock on to us.
Tug job
says...
9:11pm Fri 26 Oct 12
Sir Alex wrote:Now on loan a Tamworth, Sir Alex.
Get Moke back. He hasn't settled at Cambridge I hear.
OLD - HEAD
says...
10:01pm Fri 26 Oct 12
Southern Exile says...
4:54pm Thu 25 Oct 12