Caretaker optimistic over Jake

STEVE Spooner has not given up hope of having Jake Clarke-Salter to call on again this season.

Both the Chelsea loan man and fellow defender Kristian Pedersen missed Birmingham’s defeat at Stoke.

A fourth successive loss means Blues are still looking anxiously over their shoulders and need all the defensive options they can muster.

With only three matches remaining – to be played in just ten days – there were fears Clarke-Salter might have kicked his last ball for the club.

But Spooner played down that suggestion.

“Jake pulled up in training the other day, he hit a long ball and he just felt his groin go,” the caretaker boss said.

“He had a scan the other day, he had a slight tear in there. We are not quite sure, we will have to see how he progresses.

“It’s constant treatment, we will see how he is when the boys come back into training.

“I don’t think there’s a chance he will miss the rest of the season, the physio department are quite optimistic.

“These are the things you have to deal with and get on with.

“I spoke to Kristian and he is very confident but I don’t know, some players are quicker healers than others.

“We will reconvene with the physio department and assess the situation for the next few days ahead.

“He just hit a diag ball and felt his groin go. He said he has never suffered with it before, that was something new to him. That was disappointing.”

Blues faced Charlton on Wednesday night, before going to Preston on Saturday and finishing at home to Derby next Wednesday.