Anxious wait for Ritchie- Hosler

ATHLETIC winger Kane RitchieHosler is set to find out the timescale for his recovery from a knee injury after undergoing surgery.

The talented 21-year-old was due to go under the knife yesterday (Wednesday) to address the problem picked up in training, after which it will become clearer how long how he will be sidelined for.

Dunfermline manager, James McPake, says that the club will do everything they can to support the popular player, who has undergone his second operation this season.

Following a richly successful loan spell last season, Ritchie-Hosler completed a permanent move to KDM Group East End Park in the summer, signing a three-year contract after leaving Rangers.

The former Manchester City youth was involved in Pars’ opening pre-season friendly, against FC St Pauli in June, but an ankle injury sustained in training after that game put him out of action until earlier this month.

After undergoing surgery, Ritchie-Hosler made his eagerly-awaited comeback as a substitute at Inverness Caledonian Thistle earlier this month, having played almost 75 minutes for the reserves four days previously.

However, prior to Saturday’s win at Queen’s Park, McPake revealed that he had suffered an unrelated meniscus injury, in the same leg as his ankle problem, after blocking a shot in training and twisting his knee.

The Pars boss suggested that he could be out for up to six weeks but, speaking on Tuesday ahead of Ritchie-Hosler’s scheduled operation, commented: “I always see it as the first step in the recovery, really.

“You get the surgery and then you’ve got the programme, you’ve got the plan to work to and to get back. He’ll know the timescale, roughly, when he comes out of surgery so we’ll support him in that.

“It is a massive blow for him more than anything, personally, because he’s worked really hard to get back from his ankle surgery, then picks this one up. Everyone at the club’s behind him and we’ll get him right.

“He’s still going to be a big player for us this season. He was low when we got the news. He’s been in and about the boys, so he’ll get the surgery, and he’ll go home for a few days as well.

“We’ll do everything we can just to keep his spirits up and then,