Steve Cotterill: George Nurse will come back stronger for Shrewsbury

On the back of the news that Udoh’s season was over due to an anterior cruciate ligament injury – for which he has undergone surgery – Town announced on Saturday that defender Nurse is now going through a similar fate.

Their absence leaves two big holes from the Shrewsbury squad of last season, but Cotterill was keen to keep their spirits positive about rehabilitation and returning next year.

“Dan and George played 50-odd games each for us last season and it’s so disappointing for everyone,” the boss explained.

“I spoke to George about it last week and I am sure he won’t mind me saying, like Dan, that he was in tears.

“These are two young men with so much of their careers ahead and they want to do really well and all of a sudden it has been taken away from them.

“But I said to George like I did to Dan, they will be well looked after with their rehabilitation back to health and they will both come back fit and strong.

“Unfortunately, that will be next season and not this.”

There was at least more positive news on the injury front on Saturday with Elliott Bennett making his first league start of the season, and Aiden O’Brien and Julien Da Costa coming off the bench late on for their first minutes since July and August respectively.

“We just had to be careful with Elliott because the question was whether we roll the dice and leave him on or take any risks of him pulling up with a problem to leave us even lighter,” added Cotterill.

“What we did do was get a few minutes in for the subs because while I wasn’t expecting those changes to make a difference to the outlook or sway of the game, it was about looking ahead to what is to come.”