Joe Garner has been ruled out for the rest of the season after suffering a minor fractured skull.
Garner suffered the small fracture behind his ear at the base of his skull in a clash of heads during Town’s 0-0 draw with Sheffield United on Saturday and has also been dealing with a number of other injuries. He will also now undergo shoulder surgery on Monday.
He reported for the clash with Hull on Tuesday night but pulled out of the squad as he felt unwell and has now been ruled out for the season.
“Joe has seen a specialist and he has small fracture behind his ear. It came about after a clash of heads against Sheffield United,” Town physio Matt Byard said.
“Garns said he was feeling dizzy in the dressing-room on Tuesday and we checked him over and pulled him out of the game.
“It’s a small fracture but it is affecting his balance and co-ordination. He doesn’t need an operation and it will settle down fine but he needs six to eight weeks off and that means the end of the season.
“We have managed his shoulder with injections and rehab through the season but he will now have an operation on Monday.
“The joint is unstable but we would have waited until the end of the season for surgery. We will now bring that forward.
“In addition to that, he has been dealing with an on-going knee problem. It’s possible he may need surgery on that as well. We will wait and see.”
Speaking at his pre-match press conference ahead of the trip to Bristol City, manager Mick McCarthy said.
“He’s not any good for this one, as he wasn’t the other night.
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”He’s got a couple of things that need looking at and he’s unlikely to be any good for the rest of the season, to be quite honest.
“It’s a real blow, it’s been a blow missing him. It’s been a blow having him for the last six or eight weeks not being fully fit and mobile, he’s been wheeling himself out and doing it for the good of the team. Very selfless.
“We’ll wait and see, next week, but he might be missing for the rest of the season.”
Dominic Iorfa (thigh) and Mustapha Carayol (groin) are both due to miss this weekend’s trip to Bristol City due to injury, but Cole Skuse is expected to return from hamstring trouble to face his former club.
“Dominic’s injured, he strained his thigh, he’ll be one that’s looking at the Birmingham City match,” McCarthy said.
“Muzzy’s looking at Birmingham as well. It would be easier talking about the players that are fit rather than the ones that are injured.
“Skusey looks like he’ll be OK, Kevin Bru trained today, so thankfully we’ve got a couple coming back.”
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