Archived News from July 2007
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D`LARYEA OUT FOR UP TO 3 MONTHS
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D'LARYEA SIDELINED FOR THREE MONTHS
MATT HALFPENNY Evening Post, 24 July 2007 Jonathan D'Laryea will be out for two to three months after his ankle operation, says Mansfield manager Billy Dearden. The 21-year-old midfielder went under the surgeon's knife on Friday after a previous attempt to mend two ruptured ligaments in March was unsuccessful. "He has to do nothing for at least the next two weeks and he will be on crutches for that time," said Dearden. "We are looking at two to three months, which is a big disappointment." The postponement of Friday's match against Championship side Leicester City at Field Mill is being seen as a setback in the Stags' build-up to the new season. But Dearden said one benefit from the limited amount of match action during the pre-season was his squad had avoided picking up any injuries. "For me, one of the main things we need to try to do between now and the start of the season is stay injury-free," he said. D'LARYEA POSITIVE DESPITE SETBACK Evening Post, 18 July 2007 Mansfield midfielder Jonathan D'Laryea insists he is remaining upbeat - despite the news he could be out for up to three months. The 21-year-old had surgery on his ankle before the end of last season but was still feeling pain in training last week. A scan on Monday revealed he has a cracked bone and the two ligaments operated on first time round are still ruptured. It means he will travel up to Northallerton on Friday for more surgery. "I have been training in some pain and at least now they seem to be happy with what the problem is," said D'Laryea. "The timescale they have told me is between six and 12 weeks. I am looking at it quite positively. I'm looking forward to when I am fit again." With Giles Coke having left for Northampton and Stephen Dawson still not having signed the one-year contract on offer, manager Billy Dearden admits he has 'a big hole' to fill in central midfield. He said: "It's a big setback for Jonathan and the club, but sometimes these things happen." Heartbreak for D'Laryea CHAD website, 17 July 2007 By John Lomas THERE was heartbreaking news for Stags midfield ace Jon D'Laryea ahead of Friday's first home friendly with Leicester City (7pm) as he learned he needs another operation and could be out for anything between six weeks and three months. On the back of Giles Coke's departure, it is a massive blow to boss Billy Dearden who personally drove D'Laryea to see a specialist in the North-East on Monday. But former Crewe midfielder Lee Bell and ex-Stags loanee Matty Piper are training with the club and hoping to win themselves a contract. "This leaves a big hole for us with no Giles or Jon," said Dearden. "They were two big players for me and for the club. "But we have just got to get on with it and if I need to add two more we can add two more. I don't know if that would be before the weekend though. "I went to watch a game on Saturday and will be watching a couple more this week to see what's knocking about." D'Laryea suffered an ankle injury at Notts County on 10th March and quickly had an operation which sidelined him for the rest of the season. But the ankle has continued to dog him as he worked hard in pre-season training and a scan on Monday revealed bleak news. "He told me I have a small crack in the bone and the two ruptured ligaments are still ruptured," said D'Laryea. "So no wonder it was hurting. He said I could be back within six weeks but as long as 12 weeks, depending on what he has to do when he goes in there. "But I am feeling quite positive about it. In a way I feel happy now I know what the problem is as I didn't know why it was still hurting me. "Now I am looking forward to getting fully fit and I am sure the hunger I have felt over the last four months watching the lads will make me a stronger and better player. I can't wait to get back." Manager Dearden added: "It is devastating for Jon. It is a big setback for the club, the player and everyone concerned. "I am very disappointed for him, breaking down only four days into pre-season training. "I drove Jon up on Monday, we left at 6.30am and didn't get back until 8pm. Now he will go back on Friday and have the operation. "He is the one player more than any that I wanted fit for the new season. "He is a very important player in the squad and we missed him when he was out injured last season. "He was at the training ground again on Tuesday to watch the rest of the lads training as he just wants to be involved." Central midfielder Lee Bell will get his first opportunity to impress against Martin Allen's Foxes this Friday and Dearden said: "Lee has done very well in training and now I want to see him in a match situation. "But, on what I've seen, I would like to think we will take him anyway regardless of looking for one or two more this week. We would just need to sort something out with him." Bell played 53 times for home town Crewe, where he had started out as a trainee. He was then loaned out to Shrewsbury Town and Burton Albion before leaving Crewe to sign a short term contract with the Brewers. However, things didn't work out there and he was released in April. Simon Brown (slight knee strain) and Dan Martin (calf) were both back in training yesterday (Tuesday) after picking up injuries last week. "We have stepped training up this week but I have to be careful as we don't have the biggest of squads," he added. "I don't like chopping and changing too much but I think we will use 16-18 players against Leicester on Friday. "No one should read too much into the players I start with until the Huddersfield game which is our last friendly and so will be the most realistic of them. "The lads are buzzing now and we are looking forward to the Leicester game." Although the Foxes are also playing Notts County on Saturday, new boss Allen has already signed 11 new faces so both games are expected to feature strong squads. Admission to the Leicester friendly on Friday is £10 adults and £5 concessions. But you can save a fiver if you buy tickets for all three friendlies together by 5pm tomorrow (Thursday). Stags will send mixed teams of reserve/youth players to Teversal on Saturday (3pm) and Belper Town on Monday (7.30pm). Irish midfield Stephen Dawson continues to train with the Stags but has still not made any approach to the club to sign a contract. "Stephen Dawson has had this contract in front of him for three months now but has not replied and it is up to him," said Dearden. D'LARYEA INJURY BLOW Evening Post, 17 July 2007 Mansfield midfielder Jonathan D'Laryea will be out for up to three months. The 21-year-old will have further surgery on the ankle he injured in the draw with Notts County in March. D'Laryea pulled out of pre-season training last week after feeling pain when kicking a ball and a scan yesterday revealed a cracked bone and ligament damage. He will undergo a second operation on Friday. YOUNG STAGS 'NEED TO SHINE' Evening Post, 17 July 2007 Skipper Jake Buxton reckons it is time Mansfield's young players stepped out of the shadow of their promotion-winning predecessors. The central defender was a second-year trainee when the Stags last went up in 2001-02, with a side put together by Billy Dearden during his first spell as Field Mill boss. The 22-year-old was also part of the Mansfield squad when they reached the League Two play-off final in 2003-04, which they lost to Huddersfield on penalties. Since then, Buxton has been a member of a young, inexperienced squad that has struggled to make an impact. But he feels his team-mates should now have enough games behind them to start emulating the successful sides of the past. "I have been involved with the first team for five years and during that time we have had two good years - promotion and getting to the play-off final at Cardiff," said Buxton. "But the other three years have just been surviving. "Most of the young players here now have just been involved in the time of struggle, rather than the good times and we need to change that. "We want to do something so people start talking about us rather than what Liam Lawrence, Bobby Hassell, Lee Williamson and Craig Disley did in getting promoted. We want to go up as well, so we are remembered fondly by the fans." Dearden has shown faith in Buxton by retaining him as captain, despite the arrival of veteran Martin McIntosh from Huddersfield. And the feelings of respect is mutual from the former Ashfield School pupil, who believes Dearden can lead Mansfield out of the doldrums. Buxton said: "I think the new signings are good ones. "I have faith in the gaffer and we have to trust whoever he brings in just as we have to trust in him when he picks the side. "I think a lot of the other lads trust him and I think that is half of the battle for a manager." |
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