Preston’s trip to face Blackpool is fast approaching but Jordan Lawrence-Gabriel won’t be involved after suffering a truly bizarre injury.
North End take on West Bromwich Albion in the Championship tonight but fans are already starting to look towards October 22nd.
Preston play five games before then; West Brom at home, Norwich City away, Bristol City away, Stoke City at home and Huddersfield Town away.
Yet that big date at Bloomfield Road is looming large and both sets of fans are already thinking about it.
Tickets have been snapped up this week for the trip to the seaside and North End will be desperate to make amends for last year’s 2-0 defeat to the Tangerines.
One player who featured in that Blackpool win is right back Jordan Lawrence-Gabriel and he played a key role in their clean sheet.
The 24-year-old won’t be involved in this Lancashire derby though, because he has suffered one of those injuries that will be included in articles about the strangest injuries of all time.
Lawrence-Gabriel has suffered a torn meniscus and is now facing weeks on the sidelines.
The reason? He was sitting with his legs wrapped around a stool and felt something go in his knee.
Blackpool boss Michael Appleton has told The Sun that Lawrence-Gabriel will now see a specialist to determine just how long he will be missing fora after this injury.
Torn meniscus injuries usually take around six to eight weeks to heal so it seems very, very unlikely that he will be back in time to face Preston.
“He did it at home sitting on a stool,” said Appleton. “He was just sitting with his legs – I don’t know if you’ve ever done it – but he was just sitting with his legs wrapped around the back of the seat and it’s pulled. We won’t know the full extent until he sees the specialist.”
“In 10 years as a manager, I’ve known four players who’ve got injured at home and accidents do happen. It is part and parcel of life and it is unfortunate. I feel sorry for Jordan. He got stronger and stronger in the game on Saturday, so I can imagine his disappointment and frustration and he’ll feel it as much as me,” he added.
North End will take any boost they can get at the moment and this truly bizarre injury will hopefully help secure a win at Bloomfield Road.