Injury bandwagon hits County

Last updated : 03 August 2004 By Richard Brown

Chrissy Palmer
The behind closed doors run-out, the second of its kind in an otherwise relaxed pre-season build-up for the Magpies, against Nottingham Forest was scheduled as little more than a final leg-stretch to cross the t's and dot the i's ahead of Saturday's vital season opener against Chester City. However, the newly assembled catalogue of talent now face a serious test of their utilities, if nothing else, as a further pairing in Chris Palmer and Tony Scully - both fitting of the illusive 'flying winger' mould that Mills has preached upon on many a occaision - find themselves sitting out the season's opening fixtures through injury.

Palmer, who's emerged as one of the more crude pieces of Gary Mills' summer shopping, and Scully, whose flashes of genius last term helped earn himself - like Palmer - a two-year deal at Meadow Lane, both limped out of the friendly at Wilford yesterday, leaving Mills with another - alongside Matty Gill, who NCM believe to be a key part in this season's first team puzzle - crocked midfielder.

X-rays of Palmer's injured ankle, however, have revealed that the area is not broken ALTHOUGH Notts physio, John Haselden indicated that a ruptured or sprained ligament is highly possible - respective injuries that would sideline the 20-year old dynamo out for around four-to-six weeks (sprain) or three-to-five months (rupture).

Added to that the woes of Stefan Oakes (ankle), Ian Richardson (foot) and captain Mike Whitlow (ankle), and there is some serious pre-season decisions yet to be made.