Just under a month on from the start of the 24/25 campaign, in acknowledgement of the significant number of injuries currently affecting the Wanderers first team squad, we can share a full update with supporters on a player-by-player basis, with Chairman and Manager Marc White also adding comment regarding the current situation.

In the defensive area of the team, we can confirm that George Francomb is recovering from a groin strain, but there is hope that he will be able to feature in this Saturday’s upcoming fixture against Weymouth. After suffering a dislocated shoulder injury at Eastbourne Borough last Saturday, with the necessary procedure undertaken post-match to reposition the shoulder, Brennan Camp is currently waiting on an MRI scan, and we expect him to be ruled out between 6 to 8 weeks. Whilst not suffering from injury, Bobby-Joe Taylor will miss this weekend’s fixture against Weymouth as he continues to serve his three-match ban after receiving a red card against St. Albans City.

Midfielder’s Aaron Kuhl and Luke Moore are nursing MCL injuries at present, they are both looking at a period of 6-10 weeks on the sidelines, whilst Josh Taylor has suffered a foot injury which is going to be assessed at hospital shortly, no further updates have been confirmed regarding the nature or extent of the injury at this stage.

We are incredibly disappointed to report that Jordan Norville-Williams, who made his competitive Wanderers debut this past Monday night at Aveley after picking up a hamstring injury in pre-season, suffered a setback despite undergoing substantial fitness testing in the lead up to the game and being in a place where he was ready to be part of the matchday squad. Feeling a tweak in his hamstring during the latter stages of the match after coming on at half-time, Jordan will now have to undergo a re-assessment and proceed from there. We are hopeful Seb Bowerman and Jimmy Muitt can be part of the matchday squad this Saturday as they overcome a hamstring and calf strain respectively, both incurred during the past two fixtures.

Up top, Jason Prior is nursing a knee injury (patella tendon) and after the Saturday-Monday double-bill, is highly likely to miss the weekend as he takes the necessary rest and recovery time. Despite scoring two goals in the game, Rhys Murphy did feel his groin go during our last home game against St. Albans City, and is also doubtful to feature this weekend. James McShane is of course still ruled out at this time as he continues recovery from his ACL injury suffered last term.

Deeply disappointed and frustrated by the current injury predicament, Chairman and Manager Marc White adds the following:

“After last season’s challenges, I can honestly say we have been working on this as a key focus area since the closing weeks of the previous campaign. Myself and CEO Jonathan Bines have led the effort to really understand and resolve the problem we have faced with injuries over the past year, and in our wildest dreams we could not have imagined that, within the opening month of this season, we would have so many issues. With so many injuries, people can sometimes forget the wider impact on the squad; that the work load and stress is therefore increased on those who are managing to play more regularly, it really is a vicious circle and so detrimental all round.”

“We have worked really hard to build a new squad which brings down our average age overall, and to also change our training facilities to grass rather than artificial. The injuries we have suffered boil down to a combination of bad luck in respect of contact injuries, and unidentified muscular injuries that we believe our home playing surface has played a part in creating or worsening.”

“A month or so into the season, we are where we are. As I acknowledged in my post-match interview after Monday’s game, we will turn to our emerging youngsters in the interim period, and will only enter the loan market if we feel recovery progress is not being made across the current set of injuries. Even then, with a 22 man squad on the books which have been highly invested in, we would only consider longer-term loan’s which will be of real benefit to our existing group. Weighing up the short term, shifting to one game a week for the foreseeable will hopefully aid us in getting players back in the squad.”

“To all our supporters, thank you for backing us so brilliantly at home and on the road already this season. I urge all supporters to please be patient, try not to be frustrated (easier said than done!), remember where we have come from, and to really get behind whichever lads are wearing the Wanderers colours through these upcoming weeks. Help us from the terraces with that signature Wanderers spirit. Let’s control the controllables and stick together – there’s still a lot of season left in front of us and plenty of football to be played.”