Murts Out For Days Not Months

Last updated : 01 March 2004 By Rob Cooper
Graeme Murty
Murty should make a quick first team return
Twenty-nine-year-old Graeme Murty should make a first team return on Saturday, just seven days after falling down in agony.

With the aid of Jon Fearn, last Saturday Murty staggered off the field in the eighty-fifth minute of the game with Sheffield United as fearful fans suggested that the right-back had done serious ligament damage.

However, physio Fearn was this morning happy to proclaim that Murty should be fit again promptly, even though he appeared to have severely hurt himself when catching his studs in the turf.

Indeed, there is an outside chance that the Scotland international could be fit for tomorrow night's encounter with fellow play-off hopefuls Preston North End.

"Murts has twisted his knee and although the problem doesn't look as serious as it originally appeared, he's a doubt for Tuesday," explained Fearn, speaking to the official site.

"He has just over-stretched. There's no swelling and the ligaments are stable."

However, the news isn't so good for influential frontman Nicky Forster. The 30-year-old centre-forward who has found the net eleven times this season is still weeks away from a first team comeback.

The former Brentford man has featured just once since the turn of the year as he has been struck down by a crippling stomach injury.

Fearn fears that Forster may not be pulling on a Reading jersey for some time as his recuperation is not going as planned.

"We might be looking at different avenues this week because Fozzy's injury is not improving as much as we would like," admitted the Reading physio.

Meanwhile, Millwall player boss Dennis Wise has been awarded the Division One Manager of the Month award. The Lions have risen to fifth in the league after going the whole of February unbeaten. Wise will lead his side into an FA Cup Quarter-Final tie with Tranmere on Saturday.