Striker Reuben Reid and defender Mark Little will both be out of contention for Yeovil Town until Christmas, according to manager Darren Sarll.
Speaking ahead of the opening National League fixture at home to King’s Lynn on Saturday, the boss confirmed Little had undergone surgery on his foot after picking up an injury in the pre-season friendly against Forest Green Rovers.
Reid suffered a hamstring tear in the friendly against Weston-super-Mare will be missing for up to four months.
Picture courtesy of Mike Kunz.
Sarll said: “Both of them (Reid and Little) we should expect them around Christmas, if anyone was going to come back sooner it would Reuben but Mark had to undergo an operation.
“I have never seen anything like it in 20 years, put your foot down and rotate it the wrong way and a ligament ruptured on top of his metatarsal that keeps the metatarsal in position. – that is a new one on me!”
He also confirmed that defender Alex Bradley and loan midfielder Lewis Simper are also likely to miss the opening game.
Both appear to have been among a group of players who have been affected by the outbreak of COVID-19 which led to the postponement of the club’s final two pre-season friendlies and last weekend’s trip to Wrexham.
Speaking about new striker Adi Yussuf, the manager said the former Wrexham and Solihull Moors player still needed to work on his fitness before he could be a regular.
He said: “(Luke) Wilkinson said when he played against Yussuf (in training) he gave him a hard time and all those things are important when new players walk in to the dressing room.
“It would have been ideal if they had a bit longer, Adi needs to spike his fitness levels a bit before we see him playing week in, week out but he will be a really good signing.
“He has got that hunger back and sometimes players just need a home and to feel wanted and (Joe) Quigley was in that category and I am looking forward to working with Adi.”