Birmingham City: Misery continues for Jordon Much
Feb 7 2009 by Colin Tattum, Birmingham Mail
BIRMINGHAM CITY have told Jordon Mutch to forget about this campaign after his continual injury nightmare.
The precocious midfielder has been given the all-clear to step up his recovery from foot problems.
But Blues have targeted pre-season for his comeback.
After becoming Blues’ second youngest player in September, when he made a substitute appearance at Southampton in the Carling Cup aged 16 years, 268 days, Mutch has endured nothing but misery.
Effectively, he has been hampered by growing pains.
The growth plates in the lower leg and foot – an area of developing tissue that eventually become bone, the weakest skeletal area in a maturing adolescent – have been at risk of fracturing.
He has been confined to a wheelchair and only now can support his weight with crutches, while wearing special support footwear.
Academy manager Terry Westley revealed: “He saw the specialist this week and he’s progressing nicely now. He can enter the next stage of his rehabilitation.
“Within four weeks he can put on his trainers and be up on his feet properly. He’s out of the wheelchair and on to crutches.
“We’ve all agreed that we have to be looking at pre-season for Jordon to be playing and fully fit, ready to challenge for a first-team place, because that’s the group he’s in now.
