Walsall manager Jon Whitney has spoken to the press following his side's disappointing League One defeat to Peterborough United and confirmed that Saddlers vice-captain Joe Edwards has suffered a season ending injury.
The manager, who saw his side slip to a 2-1 defeat away at a snowy London Road, confirmed that Edwards suffered an Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) injury during last weekend's defeat to league leaders Blackburn Rovers, and will be out for the remainder of the 2017/18 campaign.
27-year-old Edwards, who has made thirty-four first-team appearances this season, was replaced by Maziar Kouhyar midway through the second-half of the Saddlers defeat to Blackburn and is set to undergo scans to learn the extent of his injuries.
Jon Whitney, speaking via the Express & Star, confirmed; "Joe has got a long term knee injury. We have had some devastating news. It was very innocuous but it will be long term. He is seeing a specialist on Friday. We will know more after but that but he is definitely out for the season and probably the start of next season as well.
"All our thoughts are with Joe because it’s a devastating blow for him especially and also for us as a group. The kid is feeling it at the moment. I feel for Joe. We’re thinking it’s an ACL rupture but we just want it to settle down before we a specialist on Friday."
There is currently no timescale on a return and with the Gloucester-born midfielder set to be out-of-contract in the summer, we may well have seen the last of him in a Saddlers shirt.
27-year-old Edwards, who has made thirty-four first-team appearances this season, was replaced by Maziar Kouhyar midway through the second-half of the Saddlers defeat to Blackburn and is set to undergo scans to learn the extent of his injuries.
Jon Whitney, speaking via the Express & Star, confirmed; "Joe has got a long term knee injury. We have had some devastating news. It was very innocuous but it will be long term. He is seeing a specialist on Friday. We will know more after but that but he is definitely out for the season and probably the start of next season as well.
"All our thoughts are with Joe because it’s a devastating blow for him especially and also for us as a group. The kid is feeling it at the moment. I feel for Joe. We’re thinking it’s an ACL rupture but we just want it to settle down before we a specialist on Friday."
There is currently no timescale on a return and with the Gloucester-born midfielder set to be out-of-contract in the summer, we may well have seen the last of him in a Saddlers shirt.
Absolutely devastated with the news of my ACL injury! There’s nothing I love more than running around on that pitch! I promise I’ll come back stronger and fitter than ever with a smile on my face !! ❤️⚽️ pic.twitter.com/5OyXe22ipK— Joe Edwards (@Joeedwards10) February 27, 2018