SCOTT Shearer faces an extended spell on the sidelines after a scan on his injured knee revealed he requires surgery.
The 31-year-old Crawley goalkeeper took a knock to his right knee during the 4-2 defeat of Cheltenham Town last week, and sat out Tuesday’s 3-0 defeat at Swindon Town. The injury means Shearer, who has played 29 games and kept 12 clean sheets this season, will certainly miss Sunday’s huge FA Cup Fifth Round tie at home to Stoke City.
Physio Mark Stein confirmed today that an MRI scan once the swelling had gone down yesterday, Shearer’s birthday, revealed the need to operate.
Manager Steve Evans said: “Scott has been in brilliant form this season and it is another set-back we could do without. Mark Stein’s early prognosis has again proved to be right although we all hoped it was not going to be that bad”
“The lad is devastated and I feel for him. He is part of our family and he is hurting so we all share his pain.
“Mark Stein and Scott will meet with the consultant as soon as possible and in turn Scott will be operated on. Until the surgery it is impossible to say how long he will be out of action but from what we know already it will be a significant amount of time.”