Shrewsbury's George Nurse set for months out after fresh knee injury

Nurse, who only recently returned to fitness after nine months out with a ruptured cruciate ligament, is facing a second extended spell on the sidelines with an injury sustained in Saturday’s 1-1 friendly draw with Coventry.

Though the exact severity is not known, Taylor admitted the 24-year-old would be missing for “months, rather than weeks”.

He said: “I am gutted for George because he has worked so hard to get in a position where he is competing for the first game of the season.

“At times football doesn’t seem fair and this is one of those moments for George. But what I do know, having spoken to him, is he will come back and he will be stronger as a person, first and foremost.

“What he is going through at the moment is grief because football is his life. I’ve lived it and while I have not had the injury he’s had, I have been out for a period of time where all you want to do is play football.

“It is my job now to support George to the best of my ability, along with everyone else at the club. We will most definitely do that.”

Nurse had made his return to action in a behind closed doors friendly with West Brom before starting against Coventry. He was forced off the pitch in the 83rd minute.

Taylor added: “It was a freak injury – there is nothing we could have done about it.

“We felt that he was physically able to complete the 90 minutes and bar a tackle and somebody landing on his leg that would have been the case.

“One thing I will say is as a football club and as a person I and everyone here will support George to the fullest capacity.”

Town currently have former Coventry defender Jordan Willis and ex-Villa academy ace Hayden Lindley on trial, with both featuring in Tuesday’s 1-1 draw at non-league Stourbridge.

A product of Coventry’s academy, Willis made more than 200 appearances for the Sky Blues but is now looking to rebuild his career after recovering from a serious knee injury sustained while playing at Shrewsbury for Sunderland in February, 2021.

He spent the second half of last season with Wycombe, making nine appearances after signing a short-term deal.

Lindley, part of the Villa under-18s team which won the FA Youth Cup in 2021, got his first taste of senior football while on loan with League Two Newport last season.