Elgin City manager Allan Hale says Borough Briggs injury list is the worst he’s ever seen after preparing for having ten men missing for Stirling Albion clash
Elgin City face being without 10 players including all four centre backs for Saturday’s vital League 2 match against Stirling Albion.
Manager Allan Hale described the situation as “devastating” and the worst he has ever seen in his time in football.
City had shrugged off their injuries by picking up positive results which took them top of the division, although they were dethroned by Saturday’s injury-time defeat at East Fife.
Already without the likes of goalkeeper Tom McHale, captain Matthew Cooper, centre halves Ross Draper and Jake Dolzanski and experienced midfielder Rory MacEwan, the Black and Whites were hit by a triple whammy in Methil.
Goalscorer Mark Gallagher limped off with an impact injury, joined later by defender Kyle Girvan while stopper Jack Murray received a yellow card which sees him banned for this weekend’s match.
“I’ve never seen anything like this in my time in football,” said Hale.
“It’s extremely frustrating but we haven’t made a big deal out of it. Other clubs have been in similar positions and their injury situation has been well talked about but I guess our one has maybe gone under the radar a bit because we’ve still been picking up positive results.
“It’s devastating because we really aren’t getting out of the bit. We’ve been running with the same 13 players for five or six games now.
“It’s just unfortunate with the nature that the game was played in at the weekend, it was really competitive and we’ve had two impact injuries as a result of challenges and they’ve had to come off.
“It’s looking a little bit bleak at this moment for Saturday but it’s too early to tell with Mark and Kyle at the moment. The nature of their injuries would suggest that they will both be in doubt to play.
“It doesn’t look good for either of them really. Hopefully it won’t keep them out for too long.
“We don’t have our troubles to seek. Jack Murray is suspended now, and at this moment in time we don’t have any centre backs available for the game.
“It looks like we will have ten players missing for Saturday, so it will be a makeshift team. It is what it is, we just need to get through these next three weeks and hopefully in January we can do something in terms of bringing in a couple.”
Hale is praying that there isn’t worse news to follow as the week progresses.
He currently has goalkeeper Aidan Glavin on loan from Kilmarnock until the end of the year, but the Rugby Park club’s regular keeper Robbie McCrorie went off injured on Saturday, and if he is to remain out then Kille could recall Glavin with immediate effect.
“I’ve not heard anything from Kilmarnock, but we are aware that their goalkeeper got injured,” said Hale. “They probably don’t have a diagnosis yet.
“At the moment we will plan for having Aidan with us and hopefully that remains the case. We know when you take a player on loan, that’s the risk that you run, unfortunately.”
Ryan MacLeman is also injured long term, MacEwan has recently returned to squad duties but is unfit to play minutes at present and reserve goalkeeper Olly Kelly has been out for the season.
City not only have their home clash with Stirling on Saturday but face Clyde at Borough Briggs three days later.
