McKenna confirms key player is set for surgery and will be out for most of the season

Town manager Kieran McKenna has disclosed that striker George Hirst will have hamstring surgery this week and will miss the rest of the season.

Hirst hobbled off in the first half of his previous team Leicester City’s 1-1 tie on Boxing Day.

“George is seeing a surgeon this week for a repair to a rupture of his hamstring, so it will be certainly the very, very back end of the season before he will be eligible,” McKenna said in a statement.

When asked if this would enhance the urgency of bringing someone in in January, he responded, “Not really, it doesn’t increase the urgency because he was always going to be right at the end of the season.”

“We wanted to add quality to the squad, and we need to add quality to the squad in every window.” We want to keep introducing goals and goal threats in various guises, as well as centre-forwards and other types of forward players. That is one of my top priorities.

“We were going to try to do that without George’s injury, but now that the striker who has been playing every game is ruled out for the majority of the season, it becomes even more important.”

“But it’s not about urgency, it’s about getting in the right player or players, who can help us for the rest of the season and maybe beyond.”

Hirst, 24, has been a crucial player for Town this season, scoring six goals after joining from Leicester City in the summer following a successful loan at the end of last season.