Manager Paul Jewell says it’s a shame that Player of the Year Aaron Cresswell’s “terrific” first season with the Blues has come to an early end due to the hamstring injury he suffered during Saturday’s home defeat to Millwall. The Blues boss says full-back is amongst the areas he needs to strengthen over the summer.
Jewell said: "He’s done his hamstring. If there’s any good time to get injured it’s probably now but it’s a shame for him as he’s had a terrific season. He’s pulled his hamstring pretty badly we think.
"We know we need to strengthen in the summer and one of the areas where we need to add cover is the full-back area.”
Cresswell cost the Blues tribunal-set compensation of £240,000 rising to £520,000 based on appearances and promotion when he moved to Suffolk from Tranmere last July.
The Liverpool-born defender, named the Supporters Club Player of the Year at Saturday’s Awards Evening, has only missed one previous game this season having been suspended for the away game at Millwall in October after being red-carded in the home match with Crystal Palace.
On the other flank, skipper Carlos Edwards has missed only the defeat to Doncaster at Portman Road when he was dropped in favour of loanee Reece Wabara.
Jewell says Town have been lucky that until now both full-backs have stayed fit and on form: "I think at times this year we’ve got by. We’re lucky our two full-backs haven’t been injured and arguably they’ve been our two best players this season, the most consistent.
"We’ve been fortunate but the odds are we’re going to need cover, certainly someone who can play left-back or right-back. We do need a couple of centre-halves bringing into the building as well.”
The Blues boss will have to consider who to play at left-back in Cresswell’s absence in the season’s final game at Doncaster next week. Damien Delaney could switch to full-back from centre-half with Ibrahima Sonko coming into the side as was the case after Cresswell went off on Saturday, while veteran Mark Kennedy is also an option.
However, with Sonko — the only alternative recognised centre-half to the current first-choice duo — leaving the club in the summer and Kennedy retiring to join the coaching staff, Jewell could look elsewhere.
Youngster Joe Whight may be in the running for his debut, while Jack Ainsley is another possibility with Carlos Edwards perhaps swapping flanks to allow the 21-year-old to play in his preferred right-back role.
Better news for the visit to the Keepmoat Stadium is that Lee Martin and Luke Hyam could be available having missed the Millwall match: "Lee’s had a scan and he’s got a little bit of inflammation in his groin and I think he’ll be OK for next week.
"Luke’s just got a grade one tear which isn’t too bad so hopefully he may be training by the end of the week.”
Jewell anticipates shuffling his pack, with 16-year-old Byron Lawrence again set to be on the bench, but says he hasn’t got a huge number of young players pushing for inclusion: "We’ve not got a plethora of people coming through but obviously there’ll be changes with the one or two injuries we’ve picked up. We’ll pick ourselves up on Monday and go again.”
Meanwhile, Derby boss Nigel Clough has confirmed that midfielder Paul Green, who was interesting the Blues in January, has told the Rams he will be moving on when his contract is up in the summer having failed to agree new terms.
Green, 29, was brought to Pride Park by Blues manager Jewell when he was in charge of the Rams.
Photo: Action Images