Injury Room update

Manager Ryan Lowe has given an encouraging update on the spate of injuries which have hit Plymouth Argyle.

Right wing-back Joe Riley has returned to training after being sidelined for the past three matches by a knee problem.

The injuries to midfielder Jose Baxter (calf) and strike pair Byron Moore and Dom Telford (both hamstring) are not as serious as first thought.

And Zak Rudden, the loan signing from Glasgow Rangers, is scheduled to return to training with Argyle on Monday.

The 19-year-old has been back with Rangers this week to have a knee issue treated.

George Cooper started at right wing-back for Argyle in their 2-0 defeat by Cheltenham Town at Home Park last weekend.

However, that is probably not the best position that Lowe could utilise him in.

So there has to be a chance that Riley will return to the starting line-up for the away game against Mansfield Town on Saturday.

When asked about Argyle’s injured players, Lowe replied: “It’s good news on all of them really.

“Joe Riley is now training, so he’s back. Jose Baxter, Dom and Byron have all had injections and they are not as long as we first thought.

“Zak Rudden is back with us Monday. He’s alright. He had a burst bursa at the back of his knee from his operation.”

Rudden had surgery at the start of pre-season after he suffered a torn meniscus.

Lowe added: “They (Rangers) are just going to monitor him over the next few days and then he will back available for training Monday.”

Baxter, Moore and Rudden were all ruled out of the clash with Cheltenham after playing at Crawley.

Telford then suffered a recurrence of a hamstring injury during the first half against Cheltenham and was taken off Lowe before it got any worse.

Lowe said: "We are hoping to have jose back for Monday, Tuesday latest, and then it's a race between Dom and Byron who could be available for Thursday, Friday.

"We are a touch lucky on that. We have caught them at the right time, but it's going to be a big build-up for them now and make sure it doesn't happen again.

"It can't happen three times. We are trying to address the situation, but we will make sure all them lads come back stronger this time and they are not just thrown into the deep end."

Ryan Lowe has revealed that three of Plymouth Argyle’s injured players have had PRP (platelet-rich plasma) injections.

The Pilgrims’ boss says it will speed up the recoveries of midfielder Jose Baxter, as well as strikers Byron Moore and Dom Telford.

PRP is a concentrate of platelet-rich plasma protein derived from whole blood which is centrifuged to remove red blood cells.

Lowe had the injections when he was a player and they are becoming increasingly common in not just football, but others ports too.

He said: “I had them every other week. It speeds the recovery up. When you have got a bit of soft tissue injury, what’s probably reoccurred, it helps it heal.

“If you get the needle and the blood flow right into where it is, it helps it heal. Your blood helps heal the tears – the muscle injuries.

“So that’s what they have had. I have insisted they had that because it’s a big help in recovery from any muscle injury.”

The trio will all miss the match at Mansfield Town on Saturday but could return to training next week.

Baxter has had a calf problem while Moore and Telford have picked up hamstring injuries, although none of them are as bad as first feared.

Lowe said: “If it was a cup final tomorrow, them three players would be playing trust me, but it’s not, so that’s why they are not.

“In terms of helping them to recover the best they can, it’s certainly worth it.”

The idea of Argo being in a cup final.

Feels achievable once we iron out the kinks,

Ryan Lowe has revealed that midfield playmaker Danny Mayor was taken off during Plymouth Argyle’s 1-0 away win against Mansfield Town because he had a sore groin.

The Pilgrims’ boss did not believe it was an injury to be concerned about, though, and explained that Mayor’s substitution had been a precaution.

Lowe spoke to Mayor before deciding to replace him with 18-year-old Klaidi Lolos in the 71st minute.

Heavy rain fell before and during the game at Field Mill making the conditions difficult for both sets of players.

Lowe said: “The pitch was a bit slippy and slidey and Dan just felt his groin.

“So I have gone over to him and he said ‘It’s just a little bit niggly and aching’ so we will recover him for the next few days.

“He’s fine. He’s up and walking now and he had a bit of ice on it.

“We got him off the pitch because we can. We have good quality on the players on the bench and they have come on and done a job.”

All the indications are that Mayor will be fit to play for Argyle when Scunthorpe United are the visitors to Home Park next Saturday.

Meanwhile, George Cooper left the pitch against Mansfield with blood coming from a suspected broken nose.

The loan signing from Peterborough United was struck by a high boot from Mal Benning.

Mansfield’s left wing-back was attempting a spectacular overhead kick inside the penalty area when he caught Cooper in the face.

Benning received a 63rd minute yellow card for the incident and Argyle striker Ryan Taylor was sent on as the substitute for Cooper.

Lowe said: “He (Cooper) has been brave for us. Pretty-boy attacking players don’t like going in them areas, and he has gone in there.

“He has been brave enough to put his head on the line. He has got a nice shiner and I think he has broke his nose.

“We are going to send him off to A&E and to get him double checked. He’s still bleeding a little bit.

“I don’t think the kid (Benning) has meant to break his nose by any stretch of the imagination but it’s brave from Coops.”

Joe Riley returned to action for Argyle after a three-match absence due to a knee injury when he was a 79th minute substitute for striker Joel Grant.

Lowe sent on Riley as an extra defender after Mansfield put on strikers Andy Cook and Nicky Maynard for the closing stages as they chased an equaliser.

George Cooper got a crack in a cheekbone at the same time as he suffered a broken nose in Plymouth Argyle’s 1-0 win away to Mansfield Town last weekend.

However, Pilgrims’ boss Ryan Lowe is not ready to rule out the 22-year-old from playing in the League Two game against Scunthorpe United at Home Park on Saturday.

Cooper was set to see a specialist on Thursday for a further assessment of the damage.

There is a possibility that Cooper could be fitted with a protective mask to play against Scunthorpe.

Lowe said: “He doesn’t want an operation now. He has missed a lot of football of late and he doesn’t want to miss any more.

“If it’s a hairline fracture or a crack of his cheekbone, it’s irrelevant isn’t it? It’s only going to heal.

“For him to get a plate in there, he’s going to be out for probably three months.

“He doesn’t really want that, and I don’t want that. He’s seeing a specialist today and then once we get the run-down on that we will know more.”

Cooper suffered the damage in the second half of the game against Mansfield.

He was caught in the face by a high boot from Mansfield’s Mal Benning as he attempted to get in a shot on goal.

Cooper was eventually led off the pitch by Argyle physio Paul Atkinson with blood coming from his nose.

His broken nose became swollen and he also had a black eye, leaving him battered and bruised.

Lowe was asked at his Scunthorpe pre-match Press conference on Thursday morning whether or not Cooper would miss the game.

He replied: “It depends what the specialist comes back with today. If he says there is a crack in there but it’s healing and he can get us a mask within 24 hours then he will be available.

“As I say, it’s not going to get any worse. If his cheekbone is cracked, it’s cracked, there is nothing he can do. He might look better in a mask mightn’t he?”

Cooper has made six appearances for Argyle, including three starts, since arriving on loan from Peterborough at the end of August.

Midfield playmaker Danny Mayor was substituted in the second half against Mansfield due to a tight groin, but Lowe told the media on Thursday: "He's alright."

On-loan Glasgow Rangers striker Zak Rudden has been training with Argyle this week after returning from his parent club for assessment of a knee injury.

Midfielder Jose Baxter has also been cleared for training after a calf injury sidelined him for the last two matches.

However, strikers Byron Moore and Dom Telford are still ruled out by their hamstring injuries and will definitely miss out against Scunthorpe.

Lowe said: "You are always going to pick up niggling injuries, but the reason thjem two are injured is that they missed the first 10 days of pre-season and you can't do that no more nowadays.

"The volume and the work you put in in them 10 days are vitally important.

"If you get through them first 10 days you are done you have cracked it because you are only going to get stronger and fitter, but they weren't with us.

"It was always potentially going to happen. We have just got to make sure now that when we get them back fit that they stay fit."

George Cooper will be available for selection for Plymouth Argyle’s away League Two game against Swindon Town on Saturday, manager Ryan Lowe has confirmed.

The Peterborough United loan signing will have a protective mask by then, after suffering a broken nose and fractured cheekbone in the 1-0 win at Mansfield Town on September 28.

Cooper suffered the damage when he was struck in the face by the high boot of Mansfield’s Mal Benning as he attempted a spectacular volley on goal.

The verstaile 22-year-old was ruled out of Argyle’s 2-2 draw with Scunthorpe United at Home Park at the weekend.

Lowe said: “He has got a mask fitting on Tuesday and then he will be eligible for Saturday (the league game against Swindon).”

When asked whether he would have any qualms in selecting Cooper to play at the County Ground, Lowe replied with a laugh as he said: “No, he just won’t go for any more headers will he?”

On a serious note, he added: “He plays football with his feet. He’s not going in the boxing ring and having a fight with someone. I wouldn’t have no qualms.”

Cooper has made six appearances for Argyle, including three starts, since arriving on loan at the end of August.

Manager Ryan Lowe is hopeful a thigh injury to Plymouth Argyle midfielder Conor Grant is not a serious one.

Grant had to be substituted in the 56th minute of the Pilgrims’ 3-0 win away to Swindon Town in the group stages of the Leasing.com Trophy on Tuesday night.

The 24-year-old was making his third successive start for Argyle after a month out of the side.

So Grant will not want the problem to prevent him from retaining his place for Argyle’s League Two rematch at Swindon on Saturday.

Lowe said: “I’m hoping it is a little bit of DOMS (delayed onset muscle sorness). Conor has played two games in quick succession after not playing for a while.

“He thinks it’s alright. We will assess him tonight and tomorrow but hopefully he will be fine.

Plymouth Argyle will not rush the return of action of injured striker Dom Telford, manager Ryan Lowe has promised.

Telford has missed the last three matches after suffering a hamstring injury in the 2-0 defeat by Chetlenham Town in League Two on September 21.

According to Lowe, it will be ‘another week to 10 days’ before Telford is ready to make his comeback.

That means he could be in contention for the Devon derby away to Exeter City on October 26.

Lowe gave the latest injury update at his Thursday morning media call at Home Park.

The Pilgrims’ boss confirmed that midfielder Jose Baxter was set to take part in training after a calf problem.

Striker Byron Moore, another hamstring injury victim, is getting close to a return as well.

Lowe said: “Dom is probably another week to 10 days but we won’t rush him because we have got Byron next back. We will make sure he is right.”

Telford has already had one spell out of action this season due to a hamstring injury so the caution over his rehabilitation is understandable.

The last thing that Telford or Lowe needs is for him to make his comeback only for the same injury to reoccur.

Argyle’s George Cooper was also taking part in training today, with a specially fitted protective mask on.

That was after he suffered a broken nose and a fractured cheekbone in the 1-0 league win away to Mansfield Town on September 28.

The loan signing from Peterborough United has not featured in either of the last two games.

Cooper could now be added to the Argyle squad for the away league game against Swindon Town on Saturday.

Lowe said: “He’s champing at the bit. There was talk that he needed to get the operation but he didn’t want it, and I certainly didn’t want him to get it, and the mask is the way forward.”

The Argyle manager continues to wait for confirmation of the severity of the thigh problem to midfielder Conor Grant.


He was substituted during the second half of the 3-0 EFL Trophy win at Swindon on Tuesday night because of a tight thigh muscle.

Lowe said: “He has got a scan any time now so we will have that addressed but he’s feeling better.

“We are just hoping with Conor it’s a little bit of fatigue. He hasn’t played many games of late and he has played two back to back.

“It might be a little bit of muscle soreness but hopefully it’s not a tear.”

Danny Mayor and Callum McFadzean have been regulars for Argyle this season but were rested for the EFL Trophy tie at Swindon and did not even travel to the County Ground.

Lowe said: “They have been working in house They have been up the gym and doing some recovery stuff.

“They have probably played the most minutes them two, so I think it was only right to give them a little bit of a breather.

“They will be at it today in training and they will be alright for the weekend.”

waiting for the results of scans to find out the severity of a hamstring injury to striker Ryan Taylor.

The 31-year-old was ruled out of the Pilgrims’ 1-1 draw away to Swindon Town in League Two on Saturday.

He had played as a second half substitute when Argyle won 3-0 at Swindon in the Leasing.com Trophy last Tuesday.

Taylor could not take a full part in training over the rest of the week so he did not travel with the Argyle squad to the County Ground rematch.

Lowe said: “Tayls has got a little bit of a niggle in his hamstring so we decided not to take him.

“He tried to train Thursday, Friday but we said ‘Let’s get it looked at’ so we will probably get a result on that Monday.

“If it’s a hamstring then . . . I don’t know. I’m sick of talking about injuries. We have just got to wait and see what the results are.”

Lowe has seen his squad hit by a series of injuries all season, especially to his strikers.

Byron Moore and Dom Telford are both currently on the casualty list because of hamstring trouble, and Joel Grant had a similar issue earlier in the campaign.

Taylor has made a total of nine starts and five substitute appearances for the Pilgrims this term.

He is the club’s joint top scorer with three goals, along with Grant and Callum McFadzean.

When asked about the number of injuries to his squad, Lowe replied: “What do you do? It’s football. Swindon had a couple of lads who played with injuries.

(Anthony) Grant in the middle of the pitch for them, (Mathieu) Baudry and (Keshi Anderson) all put their bodies on the line for their Gaffer, which is good.

“That’s what I want my players to do, but I’m a bit cautious in terms of I would rather lose you for a game or two than five or six.”

Lowe added: “We don’t want to be losing any players but injuries are part and parcel of the game to be honest.”

Byron Moore available; Telford is comes back from St Georges Park today.

Danny Mayor suspended; Ryan Taylor and Conor Grant injured.

With Taylors injury record, he's going to have to knock out a few hat tricks in the games he does play, to get a 20 goal season.

Taken from (still) Brent rag

Ryan Lowe is hopeful that Plymouth Argyle striker Dom Telford will be passed fit for the Devon Derby away to Exeter City next Saturday.
The 22-year-old has missed the last five matches because of a hamstring injury he suffered in the 2-0 home League Two defeat by Cheltenham Town on September 21.
The Pilgrims’ summer signing from Bury spent last week on a rehabilitation course at St George’s Park, the national football centre.
Lowe has also given an update on midfielder Jose Baxter, who sat out Argyle’s 2-0 home league win against Carlisle United on Saturday.
Baxter seems set to be ruled out of the Pilgrims’ trip to Exeter too because of a continuing calf muscle problem.
Telford has had a stop-start beginning to his career at Argyle because of hamstring injuries but is now nearing a return to action after spending time at St George’s Park.
Lowe said: “He’s bubbly, he’s back around. He has got another programme to work through.
“He will have a day off tomorrow (Sunday). He will be back on Monday doing his programme.
“I’m hoping to have him back for the Exeter game, but we are not going to force him back.
“We are going to have to make sure that everything is right now because we have had a couple of recurrences of the injury and that’s not going to happen again because it can’t.”
Lowe added: “If Dom is just 50-50, or he’s 70-30 or 80-20, we won’t risk him because there is no need too, but we are hoping to have him back for the Exeter game.”
Baxter played as a second half substitute in Argyle’s 1-1 league draw at Swindon Town on October 12 as he made his comeback from a calf injury.
However, the 27-year-old former Everton midfielder was an absentee from the squad against Carlisle.
Lowe said: “Jose has been struggling with a little bit of tenderness in his calf so we need to get to the bottom of it.

“We have had another scan on it. We are looking at it. We might lose him for a week or two, I’m not too sure yet.
“He could have trained and tried to play but it’s like going out with your missus on a nice date with two black eyes.
“You are not going to are you? I certainly ain’t.”
Lowe continued: “We just don’t want to risk it. We can’t. And when you have got players in and around what we have got now, we couldn’t risk it.

“He’s struggling at the moment with the calf injury. Whether he’s come back too soon, possibly yeah, but we are looking at it.
“A Jose Baxter wants to play every game and I have had to sort of take it out of his hands.
“Something could be going on in there (the thigh) so we have chose to have a good look at it.
“I will speak to the physio (Paul Atkinson) on Monday morning and we will take it from there.”

It will be a year or two before we can expect to sign fully fit players. I feckin hate league 2.