Fresh blow for Cats ace
CRAIG Gordon will have to wear a plate in his arm for the rest of his career after twice breaking his left wrist bone.
That was the shock diagnosis in the wake of a training ground injury which the club hopes will not sideline him beyond the opening half-dozen games of the season.
The Scottish international originally had the bone near the wrist broken last November after Jermain Defoe's reckless tackle at White Hart Lane.
That injury sidelined Gordon for two and half months after an operation saw a plate inserted to protect the bone and aid recovery.
The 27-year-old had the plate removed on medical advice in the first week of close season, but clearly the healing had not gone as expected, with the 6ft 3in stopper fracturing the bone in exactly the same place during a light training session just over a fortnight ago.
The surgeons who operated on him the second time have now recommended that a re-inserted plate be kept in the arm for as long as Gordon plays football.
Manager Steve Bruce said: "It's a sickener for the lad, and it's a sickener for us because he had been in great shape and he's become such an important player for us.
"Of all the things that have happened this summer, that's probably the most disappointing.
"The fracture is exactly the same fracture as the original one. It's happened at exactly the same point on the bone, and for that reason I understand the plate is going to be have to be in permanently."
Technology has moved on and plates inserted in such injuries are no longer made of metal.
But it is still a real setback for Gordon who had returned to pre-season training raring to go and hoping to have seen the back of an injury-marred previous 12 months.
And it has left Bruce wondering whether he should bring in a short-term replacement.
Sunderland had been in talks with England keeper David James, but he shocked the football world by rejecting the Black Cats – and Celtic – to sign for Championship side Bristol City yesterday.
Bruce said: "It gives us a real headache, because I think Craig has really come on as a keeper.
"He played some of his best football at the end of last season, and it showed great character to come back from the injury as well as he did.
"Obviously, he's our first-choice keeper, and it's something we're going to have to look at carefully because while Simon Mignolet and Trevor Carson have good careers ahead of them, they're still raw and untested at Premier League level.
"We're all wishing Craig a speedy recovery – both for him and for us!"
Gordon's understudy Trevor Carson says he feels sorry for the club's No1 – even though he stands to benefit from the Scot's absence.
He said: "With Craig out, there's more of a chance that I might get involved in the first team, and that would be great.
"But from a personal point of view, you've got to feel for Craig.
"I was there when it happened and it was just a warm-up session – throwing the balls about and making saves.
"But as soon as it happened, I knew he was in trouble.
"I didn't even go over to check, I just sprinted to the Academy to get medical help.
"It's a real shame for him, but hopefully he'll back before too long."
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Weather for South Shields
Saturday 04 February 2012
Today
Light sleet showers
Temperature: -1 C to 2 C
Wind Speed: 18 mph
Wind direction: South
Tomorrow
Sunny spells
Temperature: 1 C to 6 C
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Wind direction: West
