NEAL ARDLEY has confirmed that playmaker Scott Burgess has been ruled out for the remainder of York City’s season.

Burgess has become a regular under Ardley after earning his manager’s plaudits in training, with the York midfielder leading the way as the club’s top assister after 34 matches.

But after suffering a knee injury in training which has led to a meniscus tear, Ardley has confirmed that Burgess is unlikely to be available for City again this season, also revealing a similar fate for winger Callum Harriott, who is currently undergoing treatment at England’s St George’s Park.

“Scott Burgess is likely to be out for the rest of the season,” Ardley confirmed.

“He has really strangely trained and his knee has stiffened right up, it looks as if he’s got a meniscus tear.

“He might need a bit of surgery so he’s seeing a consultant.

“I wouldn’t have thought (that Callum Harriott will be fit before the end of the season).

“When he first got his hamstring injury I was told that it would be a three month job, and this week he has been at St George’s Park doing a rehab week.

“It’s the same with Levi (Andoh) when he did his back, we’ve got two months left of the season, if that, and by the time people get back out onto the training field they will need another four to six weeks to get their fitness levels up.”

However, Ardley did provide a positive update on Dipo Akinyemi, who missed Tuesday night’s 1-1 draw with Oldham Athletic through a back injury, with the City talisman available for the Minstermen’s trip into the capital on Saturday afternoon, where they face Barnet (3pm).

“I’m hopeful, he (Dipo) joined in training today," Ardley enthused.

“We did a little test on him and we drip fed him into training, the key to that is going to be whether he stiffens up, we could train him and he could sit on the coach tomorrow and be as stiff as a board, like I am at my age!

“That would set us back. At the moment though, touch wood, things look good but we will see tomorrow."

Ardley also gave an update on Thierry Latty-Fairweather, who has been absent from the City squad since early January, as well as George Sykes-Kenworthy, who has been struggling with a tight groin in recent matches. 

The City boss also confirmed that Sykes-Kenworthy remained in high spirits after a mishap when conceding on Tuesday night, and that Ardley remained fully confident in the shot-stopper’s ability. 

Ardley explained: “He’s fit, it’s difficult because of the emotions of what happened and it probably took him a good few weeks training wise to get back into the swing of it. 

“We signed Danny (Amos) and he’s come in and done well, Crookesy (Adam Crookes) has come in and fit in at left-back so all of a sudden we’ve gone from having hardly any problems down the left-hand side to having three options down the left-hand side. 

“I have to make decisions based on that. But what I have said to them is that with all of the games that we have, whether if it is Thierry, Tyler (Cordner), Ducky (Michael Duckworth) or anyone who hasn’t had the minutes that they would have liked to have, our job is to keep them as fit as we can. 

“All of a sudden something happens to a defender and bang, Tyler you’re in. 

“With most of the boys, they are very tired and are putting a lot into their games, I think we can all agree that they are putting a lot into their games. 

“Today was all about trying to get their legs back with those who played, we did a really good session with the others, so George is fine with mental and physical. 

"We’ve got this young lad who has come out of part-time football to go in goal and he’s got the pressure of trying to keep in goal for York City, and he’s been absolutely superb.

“The other night he was disappointed with the goal, but straight away the next cross comes in amongst four bodies and he comes and takes it. That’s what you want, so I’m hoping he will be fine. 

“Boreham Wood away he was disappointed with himself, but it’s football. 

“People make mistakes in football, me and Coxy (Neil Cox, assistant manager) keep telling them that we made a mistake once in a game. 

“If you’re going to make a mistake and beat yourself up for it then you shouldn’t play football. 

“It happens, but there is no blame culture, we win and lose as a team and one thing we all know is that George has won us a lot of games, so he’s got credit in the bank.”