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Wanderers will have to wait until Friday to find out whether Jay Spearing’s knee injury will rule him out for the rest of the season.
The club skipper was substituted at half time in the 1-1 draw with Bristol Rovers on Tuesday night after damaging his medial knee ligaments in a full-blooded challenge with Ellis Harrison.
Specialists want swelling around Spearing’s knee to die down before giving him a scan to determine the extent of the damage.
A grade one tear usually means between four and six weeks on the sidelines – which would effectively rule the 28-year-old out unless the club was involved in the League One play-offs.
Replacing Spearing will not be an easy task for Phil Parkinson, who is yet to make a firm decision on whether to offer a short-term deal to former Reading midfielder Jem Karacan.
The free agent was present at the Macron on Tuesday night and has been speaking to the club about a month-by-month contract.
But the transfer has not yet been given the Football League’s blessing and could also face a delay over international clearance.
Karacan had been pencilled in to play against Nottingham Forest last night for the Under-23s but the game was postponed because of a waterlogged pitch.
Meanwhile, Wanderers will wait until Gary Madine is given medical clearance before bringing him back into their first team plans.
The striker has missed the last two games with a virus but Phil Parkinson has played down the various conspiracies which have swirled around social media and denied any ulterior motive for his absence.
“Gary has been ill, simple as that,” he told The Bolton News. “He saw a doctor yesterday and when they are happy that the virus has cleared up and that it is no longer contagious we will get the call and he can re-join the team.”
Chris Long will serve a one-match suspension on Saturday after receiving a late red card against Rovers but Josh Vela – who has now racked up 10 yellow cards – will be available because one of them was awarded in the Checkatrade Trophy.
Both he and Mark Beevers sit on nine league bookings, with disciplinary records wiped clean on March 12.
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The club skipper was substituted at half time in the 1-1 draw with Bristol Rovers on Tuesday night after damaging his medial knee ligaments in a full-blooded challenge with Ellis Harrison.
Specialists want swelling around Spearing’s knee to die down before giving him a scan to determine the extent of the damage.
A grade one tear usually means between four and six weeks on the sidelines – which would effectively rule the 28-year-old out unless the club was involved in the League One play-offs.
Replacing Spearing will not be an easy task for Phil Parkinson, who is yet to make a firm decision on whether to offer a short-term deal to former Reading midfielder Jem Karacan.
The free agent was present at the Macron on Tuesday night and has been speaking to the club about a month-by-month contract.
But the transfer has not yet been given the Football League’s blessing and could also face a delay over international clearance.
Karacan had been pencilled in to play against Nottingham Forest last night for the Under-23s but the game was postponed because of a waterlogged pitch.
Meanwhile, Wanderers will wait until Gary Madine is given medical clearance before bringing him back into their first team plans.
The striker has missed the last two games with a virus but Phil Parkinson has played down the various conspiracies which have swirled around social media and denied any ulterior motive for his absence.
“Gary has been ill, simple as that,” he told The Bolton News. “He saw a doctor yesterday and when they are happy that the virus has cleared up and that it is no longer contagious we will get the call and he can re-join the team.”
Chris Long will serve a one-match suspension on Saturday after receiving a late red card against Rovers but Josh Vela – who has now racked up 10 yellow cards – will be available because one of them was awarded in the Checkatrade Trophy.
Both he and Mark Beevers sit on nine league bookings, with disciplinary records wiped clean on March 12.
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