Shaw to sit out season’s opening weeks (From Northwich Guardian)

Witton Albion's Joe Shaw to sit out up to six weeks after ankle surgery

12:00pm Monday 23rd July 2012 in Sport By Andrew Simpson, Senior Sports Writer

SHAUN Tuck’s performance against Macclesfield at the weekend excited Witton fans who will have to wait to watch their club’s other signing in competitive action.

Midfielder Joe Shaw could be ruled out for six weeks after he has surgery on an ankle injury next Tuesday.

“It’s a blow, no question,” said Albion boss Brian Pritchard.

“Joe has had a problem for some time with a small fragment of floating bone, so we’ve decided to have the operation now so we can then get him rehabilitated fully.

“It’s difficult to say how long he’ll be out, but we’ve been advised it will be more than a month.”

Shaw’s absence is timed badly for Pritchard, who had hoped to call upon his first signing of the summer for next month’s campaign curtain-raiser against Blyth Spartans.

The 25-year-old, a long-term target for the Albion boss, left former league foes Trafford at the end of last term to join Witton.

He played an hour of Saturday’s 1-1 draw with the Silkmen, but Pritchard told the Guardian the club prefers to solve the problem now so as not to lose Shaw for longer later on.

“We knew about the condition before Joe signed as he was completely open with us,” added the Witton manager.

“He can play games without doing more damage but has a reaction afterwards.

“It’s important we don’t make that worse by putting added pressure on him, so to get a date for surgery so quickly is good for all of us.”