Top scorer Tom Pope to have surgery and will be ruled out for a month
Neil Aspin says top scorer Tom Pope requires an operation and will have surgery following Vale’s game at Barnet this weekend.
The Valiants revealed that the veteran forward had been battling on with the injury since Christmas and Aspin now thinks it is time to take action.
He has had a scan and he needs surgery so I think we have to be honest and say he will be having surgery as early as possible…
The Vale manager told the media: “He has had a scan and he needs surgery so I think we have to be honest and say he will be having surgery as early as possible.
“We have to try to get him in a situation where he misses a number of games but he is able to play the remainder. If we didn’t do that then we would have an unfit Tom Pope until the end of the season. At least if he has the operation he can play in some games and be in a better condition to play.”
Earlier this week Aspin appealed to the club’s other forwards to step up and challenge for a place in the site.
With Pope set to be missing for up to month, the likes of Tyrone Barnett, Anton Forrester, Dan Turner and Dior Angus will be vying for a place in the starting eleven.