Canaries' mini injury crisis over Easter

CHRIS LAKEY

Peter Grant could be struggling to name a full squad as he surveys another mini injury crisis at Carrow Road ahead of a busy holiday schedule.

Canaries midfielder Luke Chadwick is the latest name to be added to Grant's injury list, while there are major doubts over Dion Dublin and skipper Adam Drury - leaving him down with a dozen fully fit first team players.

Chadwick's name is added to a list which also includes strikers Robert Earnshaw, Chris Brown and Peter Thorne, defenders Jurgen Colin and Michael Spillane - who is away on Republic of Ireland duty - and four players out on loan.

What it does mean is another outing for 16-year-old Kris Renton, who, along with Robert Eagle, fresh from signing a new contract, is almost certain to feature on the City bench for a schedule that takes in Hull tomorrow and a home game against West Brom on Monday.

Grant may also look at right back Andrew Cave-Brown, who he watched playing for the reserves on Monday, although having surprised many with his selection of Renton last week the City boss may pull another rabbit out of the hat some time over the weekend by bringing in another youngster.

Grant is in a position to recall loan players Ian Henderson and Ryan Jarvis at 24 hours notice, although he has admitted it is an option he doesn't want to exercise.

The unlucky Chadwick, who has yet to start a game since being injured on his goalscoring Canaries debut at Ipswich in November, has a suspected torn thigh muscle which almost certainly rules him out of both holiday matches.

It is cruel luck on the 26-year-old, who became Grant's first permanent signing in January when he moved from Stoke City but has since made just three appearances as a sub after the knee injury sustained at Portman Road proved much worse than initially feared.

Chadwick played 23 minutes at Colchester on Saturday but it was during training that he suffered his latest setback.

“Chadwick is a bit of a blow,” said Grant. “We think he has maybe torn a muscle in his thigh, but that needs a scan. Unfortunately it was on his standing leg when he was crossing the ball in training, so that make us think it's a slight tear.”

Chadwick was due to have scans on the problem yesterday, and while it adds to Grant's selection problems, there was better news over skipper Drury, who had minor surgery on his ankle last week.

“Adam trained yesterday so we will see how he is this morning,” said Grant. “He has obviously recovered quicker than we thought because he had a minor operation last week, so we are very pleased with the way he has recovered and we will see how he is over the next couple of days.”

Colin's groin injury definitely keeps him out of contention, veteran striker Dublin is a doubt - but midfielder Dickson Etuhu is fit after missing the Colchester game through illness.

“Dion is struggling a little bit,” said Grant. “He turned his ankle right away up at Colchester last week and also we thought he had broken his toe, but thankfully that's clear. He probably won't train today but hopefully will be able to take part tomorrow.”

The injury to fellow striker Brown is proving something of a mystery.

“We think the problem is maybe coming off the bottom of his back, we don't know if it's a nerve thing,” said Grant. “He walks pain free, everything, but it's once he steps up the pace.

“There is a nerve that comes out of your back into your hamstring and we think there may be something we can't see, maybe off something in his back, so it could be quickly cleared or it could be one of these 10, 12 days, so we don't really know where we are on that. It's just a matter of monitoring that - every day he has got better and once he stepped up a little bit there was still a recurrence there.”

Thorne is still recovering from a thigh injury sustained against Preston in February and Grant believes he won't play again this season which, given that his contract expires in the summer, could mean his injury-hit City career has run its course.