In his post-match interview yesterday, manager Dave Challinor provided an update on defender Kyle Knoyle following the serious head injury sustained in our 2-0 defeat to Mansfield Town on New Year’s Day.
DC confirmed that the latest scan results received on Friday suggest that Knoyley unfortunately suffered a bleed on the brain following a clash of heads with teammate Ibou Touray, which is likely to rule the 27-year-old out for the foreseeable future.
Speaking to Jon Keighren after yesterday’s game, Dave said: “Really bad news. He’ll see a neurosurgeon at the end of January. His first scan that he had after the game was inconclusive and there was a question mark on whether there was a bleed on the brain or not.
“There was another scan done on Wednesday this week that was reported on yesterday (Friday), that says they think there was, or there is a bleed. He’ll see the neurosurgeon but with that in mind, it’s going to be months rather than weeks.
“We hope for miraculous news in January but I don’t think we’re going to get that, so we need to accept that. Will we see him again this season? I would be uncertain around that, but we’re in the hands of experts and in the hands of a really complex situation – I can only think of one other incident where it’s ever happened in football, certainly at a professional level.
“Listen, there’s no issues for Knoyley, no cognitive problems, he’s fine within himself, he’s around the training ground, he can go on the bike. Hopefully we get to a point in a few weeks time where he’s able to run, can join in training, but what he can’t be doing is clashing heads or heading the ball and that’s a fundamental part of what football is.
“It’s going to be a long one, but important that we just get him in a good place and deal with what’s in front of us.”
Everyone at the football club is fully behind Kyle following this diagnosis, and we will continue to ensure that he receives all the support he needs to recover and come back stronger.
