Finney waiting for the all-clear

Alex Finney will find out next week whether his broken jaw has healed after rejoining Maidstone on loan from QPR for the rest of the season. Finney is hoping to get the all-clear when he meets his specialist in London on Thursday, February 1. An agreement to extend his original loan was put on hold after the defender suffered a double jaw break in the Boxing Day draw at Dover. But with Finney improving all the time, boss Jay Saunders rekindled the deal and the 21-year-old wants to be on the training ground soon after his appointment. He said: “I’ve got my final consultation with the specialist on February 1, which is the sign-off date from their point of view, so I should be back outside by the end of next week. “I don’t have a game in mind for my comeback yet because if they say it hasn’t healed properly then I have to listen. “Everyone’s different, I could be a quick healer, I could be slower but I’m happy to be back at Maidstone. “I’m just annoyed I’m still injured because I want to be out there playing.” Finney, injured contesting a header with Dover’s Ryan Bird, has proved himself mentally ready to play again. He said: “We’ve got a psychologist at QPR who seems fine with how things are going. “She sits down with the injured boys to make sure we’re in the right headspace because certain players with long-term injuries can get depressed and stuff. “She asked me questions about heading the ball again and I don’t show any worry about it at all. To me it was one of the hazards of football, it’s not something that’s scarred me for life.” Finney’s return can’t come soon enough for a Maidstone side who have been leaking goals, including 12 in their last four matches. He’s continued to watch games and feels United are more unlucky than anything. He said: “I’ve got a connection to all the boys, to everyone. I do like watching the games, I’ve just been down more as a fan. “In the games I’ve seen I feel like we’ve been playing well, we’ve just been unlucky but I’m confident the boys will turn it around.” Finney’s QPR contract expires in the summer. There’s been no discussion over a new deal but a strong finish to the season at Maidstone will help. He said: “Once I start playing again there’s a conversation to be had. “Every footballer wants to play in the Football League and as someone who’s been at the club, I’d love it to be at QPR. I’m a young player, I just need games to learn the game and understand what strikers are going to do.”