Matthew - Op Tuesday

Matthew Etherington has played through pain in recent weeks - but surgery is now imminent.

Matthew goes under the knife on Tuesday and will receive a pioneering operation.

"It is important for the fans to realise that we have known for about three or four weeks that he needed an hernia repair and he has played with a lot of anti-inflammatory pain-killers," says John Green.

"People have questioned his fitness but he has actually gone through a lot of discomfort to play - but on Saturday it was very, very sore and hadn't settled from the Wednesday game.

"We went to see the surgeon in Leicester who is going to do the operation; it is a new type of operation done through keyhole surgery into the abdomen, the idea being that the recovery period is supposed to be two to three weeks.

"Mattie has tried his best to play right up to this break in the season in order that we can get it done and minimise the amount of games that he will miss.

"So the plan is that he will be available for the game against Gillingham."