Knoyle out ‘for months’ with bleed on brain

COUNTY defender Kyle Knoyle has been ruled out for the rest of the season after suffering a suspected bleed on the brain, following a horror collision in the New Year’s Day defeat to Mansfield Town.

Knoyle collided in mid-air with team-mate Ibby Touray midway through the second half of a 0-2 defeat at Edgeley Park, with Knoyle stretchered off and hospitalised with injuries including a broken nose, fractured cheekbone and concussion.

Boss Dave Challinor had been hopeful in the aftermath of the incident that Knoyle would be able to feature sooner rather than later upon completing concussion protocols and donning a protective mask to cover the facial injuries.

However, more bad news enveloped Edgeley Park this week as initial scans showed a suspected bleed on the brain of the former Doncaster Rovers full-back.

“It’s really bad news. He’ll see a neurosurgeon at the end of January and that will tell us all more,” explained Challinor.

“It’s going to be months rather than weeks for Kyle. Will we see him again this season? I would be uncertain around that, but we’re in the hands of the experts.”

Knoyle joined the League Two leaders for an undisclosed fee from Doncaster Rovers in January of last year, and has made 23 appearances so far this season.

“He’s fine within himself, he’s around the training ground, he can go on the bike,” said Challinor.

“Hopefully we get to a point in a few weeks’ time where he’s able to run, can join in training, but what he can’t be doing is clashing heads or heading the ball and that’s a fundamental part of what football is.”