Danny Carlton underwent surgery at 6pm on Wednesday evening for a ruptured Achilles tendon.  A complete break of the tendon will keep Danny out of action for at least four months minimum.  Danny was discharged from hospital late on Thursday afternoon and is now at home in Leeds starting his recuperation.

Speaking this afternoon, Alan Knill gave us his full reaction to the injury and surgery:-

"Danny had the operation yesterday at 6pm, he's out now and has gone back home to Leeds and obviously we are absolutely gutted for him.  The severity of the injury is bad.  It wasn't the clash of the two players that did it and for his Achilles to rupture like that is really bad."

"As we stood on the sideline, we all heard a loud crack, we thought it was a clash of shin pads between the two, it wasn't, the loud crack was Danny's Achilles tendon snapping.  It takes an incredible force for the Achilles to snap.  Obviously we are absolutely gutted for him."

"If it had been an impact injury and he'd done something with the lad, then maybe we could call it self inflicted, but when an Achilles goes, there isn't a lot you can do about it.  A kick or anything like that can't do it, there must be a slight weakness in there somewhere, and it takes nothing to rupture it."

"We are disappointed and disappointed for Danny, he is a big loss to the squad.  The doctors have said four months; I'm looking at a minimum of four months.  As for replacing him, I am waiting on a phone call from a club further up the league to bring a striker in on loan, we will have to wait and see."

Alan Knill was speaking to 'Shakers Player'.  Login to 'Shakers Player' from 8:00pm this evening for a full 12 minute video interview with the gaffer ahead of Saturdays game at Darlington