Billy Clarke suffers season-ending injury

With a number of Charlton players currently spending time in the treatment room, Head of Medical Services Alastair Thrush has provided the latest on their injuries and expected return dates…

Billy Clarke will spend the next eight to nine months on the sidelines after rupturing his Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) against Blackburn Rovers on Saturday.

The Addicks’ number 10 sustained the injury to his left knee with 21 minutes played at Ewood Park and scans have revealed that it will keep him out for the remainder of the 2017/18 season. 

Clarke will see a knee specialist on Wednesday and, after undergoing reconstructive surgery, he will then begin an eight-month period of rehabilitation. 

Charlton’s Head of Medical Services Alastair Thrush said: “Unfortunately, Billy won’t play again this season and everyone is really gutted for him. 

“He’ll have surgery in the coming weeks, once the knee has settled down, and after that he will have around an eight-month period of rehabilitation before he can return to play. We’re hopeful that he could be back for the start of next season.

“This is one of the toughest injuries for a player to accept but Billy has been through it before. He suffered the same injury to his other knee in 2010, so he knows what to expect from his rehabilitation and he will be seeing the same specialist now as he did then.” 

Jake Forster-Caskey also picked up an injury against Rovers and is likely to be out until early in the new year with a quad strain.

Ahmed Kashi and Patrick Bauer are targeting the New Year’s Day fixture against Gillingham at The Valley as their return date. Kashi is recovering from a small stress response in his heel bone while Bauer has a high ankle sprain. 

Ricky Holmes remains out with a mild quad strain but could be back for our Boxing Day clash at Southend United. 

Tariqe Fosu has begun running again after sustaining a significant injury to the tendon of his right thigh against Milton Keynes Dons, but will require another four weeks of rehabilitation in order to allow it to fully recover. 

Lewis Page could return to training in six weeks. After recovering from a hamstring operation, he developed an injury to his Achilles tendon which has required a period of specific rehabilitation. 

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