Shropshire Star

AFC Telford skipper Shane Sutton set for spell on the sidelines

AFC Telford United are set to be without skipper Shane Sutton for ‘a few weeks’ as he recovers from a knee injury.

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The 28-year-old centre-half picked up the injury during the warm-up before the 3-1 victory against FC United of Manchester in the FA Cup last weekend.

Sutton had been an ever-present for the Bucks up until then – after arriving from Newtown in the summer – but is now set to miss at least a couple more games, according to boss Rob Edwards.

He said: “Shane will be missing for a few weeks. It’s his knee.

“We reckon it will be a few weeks, he won’t play at North Ferriby United tomorrow or Gainsborough Trinity on Tuesday night.

“Of course it’s a blow, to be without your captain, but that’s what having a squad is all about – and we have options.”

One of those options in defence is Wolves loanee Aaron Simpson, who returned to action against FC United.

Ryan Wilson will also be back for tomorrow’s game after being cup-tied last weekend while Aaron Hayden serves the final game of a three-match suspension.

“It’s good to have one or two bodies back and there are no other fresh injury worries,” said Edwards.

“We can’t do anything about injuries, they happen. We just have to focus on the lads we have fit and available for the game.”

Telford are in National League North action tomorrow at North Ferriby, who are bottom having picked up just six points from 13 games.

They have conceded 32 goals, scoring just seven, but Edwards insists games are not won on paper.

“It’s going to be really hard,” he said.

“First of all, we have to make sure we prepare properly and go there in the right frame of mind.

“We have to be performing at our best as no one hands you anything, ever, in football – you have to work for what you get.

“It would be disrespectful for us to go there and think we can just go there and get the win, it doesn’t work that way.

“We have to make sure we do everything in the right way.

“If we do so and we are at it, hopefully we will get the result that we are looking for.”