Town boss Kieran McKenna has revealed that midfielder Dominic Ball is set to miss the rest of the season with a knee injury which will require surgery.

Ball, who joined the Blues on a free transfer in the summer having left QPR, was absent from the squad which faced Cheltenham today having picked up the knock at Charlton a fortnight ago.

“Dominic’s been seeing a specialist so we’re waiting for a report on that. Dominic’s unfortunately got a very severe knee injury that in all likeliness rules him out for the season,” McKenna said.

“He picked it up really innocuously in the Charlton game, didn’t feel quite right in the Bracknell game on Monday night and has seen a specialist this week and has an issue with his meniscus that’s going to need quite a complicated surgery.

“Extremely disappointed for him first and foremost because I think he was primed to be a really big player for us and really improve and kick on in his career, so very disappointing for him but knowing his character he’ll bounce back from it.

“Tyreece John-Jules, his hamstring injury is more severe than we hoped, so he’s again getting a specialist’s opinion whether he needs a surgical repair, but it’s going to be a matter of months rather than weeks.

“Janoi [Donacien] was just tight, he felt some tightness in the warm-up and he felt that tightness continue as the game went on. Hopefully nothing major but was probably the right decision at this moment to put his hand up and come off before there was any more damage.”

Reflecting on what’s a lengthy list of injuries at present, McKenna added: “It’s quite a really strange period, to be honest. We’ve had a very unusual amount of surgeries, a very unusual amount of contact injuries and bizarre falls, and like Dominic’s injury, Greg Leigh’s injury or Sone [Aluko]’s injury where it’s a major joint injury without any contact.

“We’ve only had two muscular injuries in the whole season, Wes Burns, who missed around 10 days, and now Tyreece.

“Other than that, no muscle injuries which is, of course, what you usually look at and analyse as a group of staff.

“Usually, you attribute contact injuries or in our case a lot of the time non-contact injuries, which are the most hard to avoid and plan for and we seem to have had a very large number of them.

“Probably another area where the rub of the green hasn’t been on our side, but we have to stay really strong as a group of players, as a staff. The boys are fighting, I don’t think anyone can question for one second the attitude or commitment of the players on the match pitch, certainly not on the training ground and I’ve full belief in this group to keep performing and keep picking up results.”

Photo: Matchday Images

yorkieblue62 added 17:53 - Nov 12 Very worrying to see all the injuries we are getting... again...and the squad is starting to look threadbare. At this rate we will need more than a striker in the January window
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hyperbrit added 17:59 - Nov 12 the world cup is a blessing in disguise.Burns gets to decide which team he's playing for and the rest can concentrate on whether they would settle for a slice of pizza or promotion.
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TimmyH added 17:59 - Nov 12 He's been a bit underwhelming in the games I've seen him in, does the basics okay but he's no midfield athlete and some of his passing is very hit and miss. Wish him a speedy recovery though.
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FrimleyBlue added 18:01 - Nov 12 Terrible from the club to allow a player to play when injured.
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hyperbrit added 18:12 - Nov 12 Morsy is about to crap out again so the Magilton and Stewart combo is missing at this point.Fortunately there is still time.
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RobsonWark added 18:16 - Nov 12 Yesssss!! That's great news for our promotion bid.
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runningout added 18:26 - Nov 12 a shame for DB
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jas0999 added 18:28 - Nov 12 Injuries a thing again. Shame for Ball and wishing him well in his recovery. He's not really been fully fit since he's been here though. Need Evans back!
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Suffolkboy added 18:28 - Nov 12 Morsey certainly has energy and willpower , but he doesn't seem to have the extra bit of pace and vision : are we not moving around him to receive quickly ,or does he always need time to settle and assess , then make room before release ? He would also do well to be able to measure and control his aggressive instincts ; he's a good bet for a ‘yellow ‘ every time he comes in the pitch .Perhaps such energies might be better employed in focus and concentration and improvement ? K M knows Morsey could and can bring more by way of attacking threat – let's see it materialise and be a true example to others around ! NO DOUBT at all we need a dominant header both in defence AND in the attacking box! ITFC on the pitch look to be short changed in this respect ( maybe apart from R K , who is a solid uncompromising ‘lump ‘ ) . Quite a bit for KM to improve and to remedy – but I've no doubt he's so well aware . COYB

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blues1 added 18:37 - Nov 12 RobsonWark. Call urself a supporter? Presumably ur one of those who were expecting ball to be a identical player to Evans. Which he isn't. He's in the mould of Skuse. A player who just sits, breaks up the play, and lays it off to others. If you think that's good news then u really are clueless. Hes not had a run of games, which, like any player, he clearly needs to get up to speed. Unfortunately that's not gonna happen with this injury. Instead of slagging him off why can't u just wish him the best for his recovery.

16

Michael101 added 18:52 - Nov 12 Robson walk,that's not called for we dont know how serious this injury is it might mean having to stop playing..Just because you don't rate him there no need to be nasty.
17

BlueNomad added 19:14 - Nov 12 Explains why he didn't do well at Bracknell. I wish him all the best. Those keyboard warriors who say they are happy to lose him for the season are, to put it bluntly, morons without a hint of empathy.
16

Broadhill added 19:16 - Nov 12 He hasn't really got going has he let's be honest? Not really a miss. Because his appearances have been patchy and brief. Transfer window we need someone who can defend. A striker who actually knows where the net is and a midfielder with an engine.
3

Linkboy13 added 19:28 - Nov 12 He looks like he's been carrying a injury all season never really got out of first gear. The fact that McKenna brought in Camara seems to suggest that he wasn't convinced either. Time to Judge him when he's fully fit i think.
4

algarvefan added 19:31 - Nov 12 Speedy recovery Dom, he was obviously not right against Bracknell in the cup, his poorest performance so far, however some of the comments about him on here defy belief and are obviously from people who know nothing about football.
11

johnwarksshorts added 19:44 - Nov 12 Generally a reliable player. I thought he looked a bit off against Bracknell. Speedy recovery Dom.
4

SohoBlue added 19:53 - Nov 12 Thanks goodness McKenna was astute enough to build strength in depth. Our injury record is abysmal and we now have a very strong bench to come back for the end of the season...hopefully...
1

Len_Brennan added 20:11 - Nov 12 With Donacien possibly out for a little while & Ball joining Evans on the longterm list, we are lucky that Burns didn't get the world cup call & that Camara has gotten minutes in recent games. Suddenly we are under real pressure again, and another injury or red card (I'm looking at you Sam Morsi) away from having a patched up starting XI. Adding in the loss in form/goals of Chaplin & Harness, and the obvious lack of a centre forward who is a reliable finisher, which has been an issue since the season began, we are in a tricky spell that we just need to get through. Thankfully we don't have a heavy league fixture list until we get into December, so let's hope for some good news over the next 2 weeks.

7

Nomore4 added 20:42 - Nov 12 Big shame. Hasn't been up to speed and never looked totally fit. I had hopes of a big 2nd half of the season from him, when the going gets tough. Which I'm sure would have been the case.
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Ipswichbusiness added 22:20 - Nov 12 I am sad for Dom Ball as that is a nasty thing to happen. However, it creates opportunities for others. I thought that Humphreys would be sent out on loan in the second half of the season to gain experience, but it looks as if he will be playing for us instead (a good thing as he seems to be a quality young player).
4

oldegold added 22:52 - Nov 12 Pretty much what one expects from Norfolk's village idiot RobsonWark.....
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KMcBlue added 23:44 - Nov 12 This will be a big miss when Morsy is suspended yet again. The constant fouling isn't clever..
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Tractor_Boy_in_HK added 06:12 - Nov 13 This explains the poor performance at Bracknell. Unfortunately never got it going this year. Looked good in his first few matches but always behind with the injuries.
1

Help added 07:33 - Nov 13 The injuries, and type of injuries are more than concerning, especially with half the season to go and some players looking spent already. The long term injuries we can do nothing about as those players have to be written off for the season, but the short term that we need to come back and strengthen the depth of the squad a bit more.
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blues1 added 07:36 - Nov 13 FrimleyBlue. Clearly u didn't read mckennas comments on this. He picked up a knock v charlton but didn't feel anything after the game. Then felt something in his knee during the bracknell game. So no, not a poor decision to play him at all. As at that point they weren't aware there was a problem.
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