TOM CLARKE faces six months on the sidelines after knee surgery – but Huddersfield Town boss Lee Clark is backing the 22-year-old to “fly through” his rehab.
As his teammates continued preparations for the opening pre-season friendlies at AFC Emley tonight (7.00) and Wakefield tomorrow (3.00), Clarke yesterday went under the knife for a repair of his right anterior cruciate ligament.
The former England junior international was injured late on in the League I play-off semi-final first-leg clash with Millwall at the Galpharm.
It was the third time the unlucky Halifax-born academy product has been hit by a knee injury, and manager Clark believes the versatile player will draw on his previous experience of recovery from surgery.
“Tom knows what to expect in terms of the immediate aftermath of the operation and the rehab programme and you’d have to go a long way to meet a more determined individual,” he said.
“We’re all desperately disappointed for him, but I believe he’ll fly through the recovery process, and when he does return, it will provide us with a major boost.”
Handed his debut at MK Dons in December 2005, Clarke has made 78 starts and 22 appearances from the bench for Town, scoring twice, as well as having loan spells at Halifax and Bradford.
