Walsall Football Club manager Dean Smith has today spoken about the injury that has kept last season's 'Player of the Season' Sam Mantom sidelined since the beginning of pre-season training, and insisted that Sam may have to play through the pain barrier in order to get back in the side.
Speaking to the Express & Star, Smith said: “It’s been frustrating for all of us, none more so than for Sam himself. He is doing everything – training and kicking the ball with his left foot but every so often he has just felt it when he has used his right.
“He’s had the scan and it has shown the structure of the knee is sound and there is not much to worry about, so he is going to have to go and play through the pain barrier a little bit to get back into it.
“You just don’t know with this type of injury, you can’t feel anybody else’s pain so it is a tough one. But it is one Sam has got to come through.
“I said at the start of the season there would be competition for places all round and none more so than in that position.
“Billy (Clifford) has come in and is still not as fit as we want him, and he has to get some under-21 habits out, which he will do. He is learning all the time.”
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