Shane McLoughlin is set to make his league return for Newport County this weekend after suffering a knee injury that had him fearing the worst.
McLoughlin, a utility player, has been out for the previous two months due to a concerning knee injury sustained against Port Vale in September.
However, after coming on in the final minute at Tranmere last weekend and playing 63 minutes in the Exiles’ midweek EFL Trophy defeat at Reading, the 27-year-old expressed anxiety about an extended absence.
“I got away with it not being a really nasty one,” added McLoughlin, who will play for Newport in League Two against Grimsby Town at Rodney Parade.
“Sometimes as a player, you get a gut feeling about injuries and,
I won’t lie; I wasn’t sure because I was in such an unusual position.I was concerned at the time because I had hyperextended my knee and been caught at the same time.
“In the end, I injured my cartilage, sprained my ACL, and the tendon connecting to my hamstring attempted to tear the bone off.
“But on all three fronts I got away lightly compared to what could have been.” The New York-born Irishman says he sought multiple opinions before it was decided he would avoid surgery, but missing two months of action “wasn’t ideal”.
In his absence, County has won only three of its last nine League Two fixtures, as well as exiting the FA.
Cup. Manager Nelson Jardim stated that the versatility of the “composed” McLoughlin, who is primarily a full-back but has also played further up and in the middle of the pitch, is a boost in attack and defense for a team that has conceded 26 goals.
Newport is in what Jardim refers to as “a bad spell,” with only one win in eight all-competition matches.
And the former Wimbledon, Morecambe, and Salford midfielder claims the game against Reading helped “blow the cobwebs away” as he prepares to help Jardim’s young side regain form against Grimsby.
“And they can shine even brighter.” Jardim claimed McLoughlin’s return will be “like having a new signing,” although Newport will be without defender Kyle Jameson for the next two games after receiving his second red card of the season in last weekend’s loss to Tranmere.
Jamie Miley is a doubt due to back spasms after recovering from a hernia operation, while Jardim has confirmed that he is monitoring midfielder Kai Whitmore’s health following his comeback from injury.
“I have to take him out to make sure he can come back to the level where he can play 90 minutes, which hopefully he will be able to do soon,” Jardim added, admitting Jameson has an injury.
“There is light at the end of the tunnel with injuries, but I wouldn’t say the red card came at a good time for us since we will need to modify things at the back after working hard to keep clean sheets against Gillingham and Fleetwood.
“But that’s the process; this league is chaotic, and everyone has difficult spells. We can’t avoid it and are determined to move on.”
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