Town boss Kieran McKenna has revealed that the illness bug which has been circulating the club over the last week has hit virtually every member of the squad with two players sent home from training today and taking antibiotics ahead of Monday's game at Lincoln City.

Prior to Thursday’s 2-2 draw at Portsmouth, McKenna said two players had been ill before the 3-0 Boxing Day victory over Oxford with another seven reporting symptoms after the win against the U’s.

He says the situation has been much the same since the game at Pompey.

“We’re in a similar position to pre-Portsmouth, to be honest,” he said. “For the Portsmouth game we managed to get everybody out and ready for the game.

“It’s been similar in terms of lots of players reporting sickness after the game, more than I realised really in terms of who were playing the game at Fratton Park and feeling a long, long way off 100 per cent.

“We’ve had two players sent home today on antibiotics and I think just about everyone in the squad now has had symptoms.

“But obviously it’s not too serious. Some are managing to come through it in a day or two, some a little bit longer, some have managed to play and train right the way through and some have had to miss training.

“We’ll take as many precautions as we can and give the players as long as they can to see their availability and I’m sure knowing the character of the group, similar to Fratton Park on Thursday night, the large majority will put their hands up and say that they’re ready to go again and it’ll be up to the medical team and ourselves then just to make the judgement calls on that.”

He added: “It’s a fluey bug, anything from headaches to throats and sinuses. There are a few who seem to have ended up with chest infections and antibiotics, it’s probably similar to what’s going around up and down the country at the moment.

“But once it spreads into a group who are in close proximity, it’s managed pretty much hit every member of the squad in some aspect over the last seven days.”

McKenna says there is better news on the injury front: “We’re doing OK. No big issues after the other night. The players who have come back, Lee [Evans] and Marcus [Harness] especially are coping OK, so we just need to keep managing them.

“Marcus has done two 60-minute spells now and on that front we’re making up good ground.”

Photo: TWTD

Suffolkboy added 16:00 - Dec 31 Well done to everyone ; it can be extra debilitating and it's a tribute to the spirit ,commitment and overall fitness that most are coming up trumps ! COYB
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Bazza8564 added 16:02 - Dec 31 Five subs is an absolute bonus when you've got this type of thing kicking about. I think everybody in the East of England has had it in varying degrees. Im 58, asthmatic and needed antibiotics to shift it and its been 10 days, so its hardly surprising the younger fitter lads have been impacted a bit, lets hope the next 48 it clears and we can give Lincoln a good hiding, someone is due one. COYB

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Steve_ITFC_Sweden added 17:21 - Dec 31 Can only agree with Bazza. I and family and friends have all been on antibiotics to get rid of this nasty bug. But I'm not sure that just because you are young and physically fit that you automatically get off more lightly. I think it just affects different people differently, and it's a bit of a lottery how much you have to suffer. Anyway, hope our boys can get fit for Lincoln as we really need to get a win there.

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chepstowblue added 18:13 - Dec 31 The unusually poor performances at Portsmouth of both Burns and Donacien would suggest that they were suffering from something. And the embarrassing way that Walton went all Neymar-esque and rolled over four times when not being touched suggested that he'd just deposited a huge load of diarrhoea in his shorts. Very peculiar behaviour !
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rfretwell added 18:36 - Dec 31 I've had it since tuesday, just got through the match at Portsmouth fortunately. No way could I run around for even 20 mins let alone 90 + so well done to the players for getting through a very tough match.
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ImAbeliever added 18:59 - Dec 31 These winter bugs are not to be sneezed at!
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Karlosfandangal added 23:46 - Dec 31 Must admit I have had this flu bug thing for about a week and I feel crap and just want to stay in bed so well done Town for putting on the performance you did at Portsmouth
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