AFC Telford United captain Stuart Whitehead is facing an anxious wait to learn whether he will be fit for the start of the season.

Whitehead limped out of the closing stages of Saturday’s routine 3-0 friendly win over Prescot Cables.

And with the season-opener against Blyth Spartans now just 12 days away, there is concern over whether the defender will have recovered in time to line up in time for the big kick-off.

“I just went in for a normal block tackle on Saturday and, the way my knee was, it just seems to have tweaked my ligament a bit,” said Whitehead.

“It’s a bit swollen at the moment and I’m struggling to walk but I will know more when I see the physio tomorrow.

“Hopefully it will be no more than a week but we will have to see. I’ve played a lot of pre-season games so my fitness is good.

“It’s just about managing the injury right and clearing it up.”

The Bucks have yet to taste defeat in a packed pre-season programme, a record they will be confident of extending at West Midlands League division one side Wellington Amateurs tomorrow night.

And Whitehead revealed there is a genuine optimism in the camp as his team build up for the attempt to go one better than last season’s Blue Square North play-off final defeat.

“I think we have been relatively pleased with the way it’s gone,” he said.

“The management haven’t been too pleased with the last couple of performances but they have been different type of games to Port Vale and Shrewsbury when we have played well.

“I think we have got good technical players this season who are good on the ball and, hopefully that will help us in terms of breaking down opposition when they come and put a lot of players behind the ball.”

By JAMES GARRISON